The adjustments that Red Sox ace David Price made to his delivery after a food-room film session with Dustin Pedroia over the weekend haven’t been tested in a game situation, but Price came away from his bullpen session with a throwing rhythm that felt more natural and normal, he said.

Despite a 4-1 record, Price has given up 31 runs in 41? innings. After Price gave up six runs in 4? innings against the Yankees on Saturday, Pedroia showed him pictures of himself from two years ago and this season. From those photos, Price immediately noticed that his hands weren’t in synch with the rest of his body. He said he wasn’t able to get the same drive he typically gets from his lower body, which affected his velocity.

The work Price put in on his off days jogged his muscle memory.

“I think already to me it feels natural,’’ Price said. “I have more rhythm just playing catch. Whenever you do something and it feels normal, it’s easy to go out there and do it time after time.’’

Price said when he looked at himself, he realized his motion wasn’t the same as it had been in previous seasons.

“It’s something I’d gotten away from last year,’’ Price said. “If you go back and watch the video last year, you’re not going to see that. It’s something from years prior. So it’s good. I feel good and yesterday and today I definitely feel like were steps in the right direction.’’

The fixes were simple, but part of Price was surprised he didn’t notice it sooner.

“For me, it’s something I take pride in is being able to make adjustments to find my staples, you know, the things that I can always go back on and say this is the way that I throw the baseball and this is how I need to do things,’’ he said. “I watched video from last year and I wasn’t able to do that last year. I had good success last year, but I didn’t have that rhythm early on this year. So it’s definitely frustrating to know that it could be something that small.’’

In the past, it’s taken time for Price to get into a rhythm early in the season. He has a 4.08 career ERA in April and a 3.19 career ERA overall. His struggles this season, he said, won’t weigh on him.

“I know things are going to turn around,’’ Price said. “I think we’re six games over .500 right now and we’re [at] the top of the American League, so that’s good.

“For me to come in and struggle the way that I have and still be 4-1, that’s a testament to all the offense, our bullpen, and how we’ve come together as a team.

“I’m mentally strong. I’m not going to harp on these seven starts or my last start. I’m going to go out there on Thursday and be ready to get after the Astros.’’

Signing a seven-year, $217 million contract with the Red Sox may have raised expectations and heightened scrutiny around his early struggles, but Sox manager John Farrell said the lefthander has handled it well so far.

“I think he fully anticipated the attention that signing the deal and coming to Boston — or just being in Boston itself, set aside the contract — I think he’s fully anticipated the passion of our fan base, the fine-toothed comb that things get put under at times,’’ Farrell said. “He’s a very strong person and utmost character and a guy that will come through these experiences.’’

Ortiz takes breather

If he had his way, Farrell would never take David Ortiz out of the lineup. But sometimes he has to remind himself the 40-year-old slugger might need a day off.

“As strong of a start as he’s had,’’ Farrell said, “Personally I lose sight that he’s 40 years old. And there’s going to be periodic days for rest.’’

With the A’s sending lefthander Sean Manaea to the mound Tuesday night, an opportunity opened up.

Ortiz sat for the third time this season, Travis Shaw slid to first base, Hanley Ramirez moved to DH, and Josh Rutledge got his second start of the season at third.

Farrell said Ortiz has been open about letting him know when he might need a down day. The Sox got back from New York at 2 a.m. on Monday after a six-game road trip, then opened this three-game set against Oakland.

“David’s been really good about suggesting that there might be a day coming up,’’ Farrell said. “Yesterday was a tough day again with the early morning arrival. He found a way to get through. We kind of talked through some things of what this week is going to look like from an opposing starting pitcher standpoint. You never want to take him out of the lineup. That’s the reality of it, as well as he’s swinging the bat. But he’s not reluctant to speak his mind. “

Dropping the ball

The Sox streak of seven straight games without an error came to an end Tuesday and it came from one of the most sure-handed players on the field. Jackie Bradley Jr. dropped a routine pop fly in the seventh inning for his first error of the season. Farrell wasn’t worried about it though. “Not at all,’’ Farrell said, “because even though he may catch it off to the side, with the exception of one that hit the heel of his glove last night, he follows the ball all the way into the glove. He’s a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder, so no concern on that part.’’

. . . Clay Buchholz wasn’t shy sharing his feelings about Farrell taking the ball from him after five innings Tuesday night, saying, “I didn’t really know what was going on. I thought I got traded or something.’’ Before Tuesday’s game, Farrell said he and Buchholz hand’t talked about it yet, but he explained the decision again: “As I said last night, they pressed him early and where we were in the lineup, Tommy Layne’s been extremely effective of late and a fully-rested bullpen. If Clay goes out and throws a couple more innings, which he was fully capable of doing, I think those innings are going to come back to us at some point later in the year.’’

Julian Benbow can be reached at jbenbow@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @julianbenbow.