Clay Buchholz will be scratched from his scheduled start Saturday against the New York Yankees after injuring his lower back in a bullpen session.
Buchholz said he has been dealing with some pain in the lower back for "five or six starts," according to reports, and aggravated it throwing his side session Friday. After meeting with the training staff and manager Terry Francona it was determined that Buchholz would be shut down.
The final start of the season would've given the 26-year-old Buchholz a chance to claim the American League ERA crown. With a 2.33 ERA he trails Seattle's Felix Hernandez by just 0.06. Hernandez was scheduled to start Sunday but the Mariners decided to shut him down as well, thereby clinching the ERA title.
Buchholz finishes the season 17-7.
The Red Sox will likely start Tim Wakefield opposite New York right-hander A.J. Burnett on Saturday.
