Clay Buchholz certainly didn’t rush back from his neck and shoulder injuries this season, but the right-hander’s cautious approach is paying dividends as he returns to the team 100 percent healthy for the playoffs.
The 29-year-old’s last start against the Orioles on Friday night confirmed that he is feeling no ill effects from the injuries that kept him sidelined for three months. Buchholz threw seven innings against the O’s, his longest outing since returning on Sept. 10, and notched his 12th win of the season.
Buchholz allowed three runs on seven hits and racked up four strikeouts en route to a 12-3 win over Baltimore in the series opener. The right-hander bounced back from his last start, in which he earned his first loss of the season, and led the Sox to a big win on the eve of Boston locking down homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.
Buchholz proved once again he is ready, mentally and physically, to lead the Sox into the playoffs, and he is this week’s Amica Pitcher of the Week.