Boston Red Sox left-hander David Price is likely to start the season on the disabled list because of a sore elbow.

Starting the second season of a $217 million, seven-year contract, Price has not yet appeared in an exhibition game.

“I think at this point, yeah, it would be hard to see him ready to go at the start of the season,” manager John Farrell said Tuesday at Boston’s camp in Fort Myers, Florida. “We really won’t have any kind of idea until he gets on the mound the first time and right now, I don’t know when that’s going to be.”

The AL East champions had hoped for a formidable rotation headed by Price, Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello and Chris Sale, acquired in December from the Chicago White Sox.

Price, the 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner with Tampa Bay, was 17-9 with a 3.99 ERA last year. He felt discomfort in his left elbow following a two-inning simulated game on Feb. 28.

Rocky Road

Colorado starting catcher Tom Murphy will miss four to six weeks with a hairline fracture in his right forearm.

Manager Bud Black said Murphy broke his arm Saturday in a game against the Cubs when he was hit by Anthony Rizzo’s bat while throwing to second base on a steal attempt.

Murphy is in a splint but won’t need surgery, Black said.

First baseman Ian Desmond is set for surgery on his broken left hand this week and will miss several weeks.