Clay Buchholz Likely Headed for Minor League Rehab Start Friday
Day by day, the Boston Red Sox are piecing their roster back together.
After what seemed like an endless flood of players landing on the DL, there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. With the possible return dates of Josh Beckett and Dustin Pedroia approaching, it seems the Sox are finally experiencing a positive turn of events.
The next player slated to return is starting pitcher Clay Buchholz, who will likely make a rehab start on Friday after being placed on the 15-day DL for a strained left hamstring. Which mound he'll be throwing from, however, is still up for debate.
Following a discussion with Red Sox' pitching coach, John Farrell, Buccholz learned he would definitely be making a minor league start, rather than jumping right back in to the Boston rotation.
"I don't think it will be right at Fenway or anything like that right off the bat," Buchholz told reporters, according to boston.com. "Either way, I'll get on the mound and throw to live hitters and go from there."
All three of Boston's minor-league affiliates are on the road this weekend, so its' up to Farrell and the rest of the coaching staff to determine where Buchholz will travel. Triple-A Pawtucket is playing in Syracuse, while Portland is in New Britain, and Lowell is in Batavia, New York.
In the meantime, Buchholz is enjoying the All-Star Game festivities with fellow injured teammates Pedroia and Victor Martinez. The young pitcher claims he has not felt pain in his hamstring since he arrived in Anaheim.
"It's not like I've taken three weeks off of non-throwing, non-pitching or anything," he said. "It's just been the running, that was the issue. I don't think it'll take long. I know when I threw my bullpen the other day, I felt good and fresh. I think that's going to be the best thing coming out of it, my body feeling good."
With his legs back under him, Buchholz should be ready to return to the Red Sox rotation toward the end of the month. Since he will not be making the start on Friday for Boston against the Texas Rangers, it is speculated that Felix Doubront will get the start from the mound.
