Clay Buchholz let his emotions get the best of him, and for that, the Boston Red Sox pitcher is sorry.
Buchholz was under fire following his start Sunday night against the New York Yankees, not only for allowing nine earned runs in 3 1/3 innings, but also for his failure to back up bases following hits. More than once Buchholz stood in the middle of the diamond when he should have been backing up third base or home plate.
“There’s no excuse for it,” Buchholz told the Boston Herald on Wednesday. “I was pissed off and things were happening really quick, but no, there’s no excuse for that. I told the staff it wouldn’t happen again.”
Red Sox manager John Farrell didn’t publicly criticize his opening day starter for the lack of hustle, but Buchholz told the Herald he spoke privately with the manager.
“I’m a lot better player fundamentally than that,” Buchholz continued. “I just let the game get to me the way it was going. That’s my responsibility to do the little things in the game regardless of how the game’s going, and I didn’t do it. It won’t happen again.”
Buchholz will get his first chance to prove himself Saturday when he takes the mound versus the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park.
Thumbnail photo via Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports Images
