After more than a week of neck discomfort, Clay Buchholz is finally headed to the shelf.
The Red Sox placed the right-hander on the 15-day disabled list with a neck strain Tuesday afternoon, activating catcher Ryan Lavarnway from Pawtucket in his place. Since Buchholz has not pitched since June 8, his move to the DL is retroactive to June 9, making his earliest possible return date next Tuesday against Colorado.
Buchholz has put up stellar numbers when healthy, posting a 9-0 record with a 1.71 ERA in 12 starts this season. He was scheduled to start Saturday night in Detroit, but those duties will now likely fall to 23-year-old Allen Webster. Webster has allowed 10 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings over two major league starts.
Buchholz threw a bullpen session between the two games of Boston’s doubleheader with Tampa Bay on Tuesday, but manager John Farrell determined that he was not yet ready to return to the rotation.
Lavarnway gives the Red Sox much-needed depth behind the plate, as the team placed catcher David Ross on the seven-day concussion DL on Tuesday for the second time this season. Ross’ previous stint was a result of taking multiple foul balls off the mask.
Reliever Alex Wilson was recalled from Triple-A in Ross’ place. Wilson is 1-1 with a 3.71 ERA in 17 big-league appearances out of the bullpen this season.
The Red Sox conclude their four-game series with the Rays on Wednesday before traveling to Detroit for four games against the AL Central-leading Tigers.
