Clay Buchholz pitched 10 seasons for the Boston Red Sox, but when he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in December, he knew it was time for a change.
The oft-injured right-hander had his ups and down in Boston and was a frequent target of criticism from media and fans alike.
Buchholz, who is recovering from forearm surgery, recently spoke to CSNNE’s Evan Drellich about his time with the Red Sox, including how he stayed mentally tough despite the constant criticism.
“My whole motto was have a short memory with everything,” Buchholz told Drellich. “With the good, you had a good start, you win a game, when you come into the field the next day, start your work for that next start rather than dwelling on that good or bad start.
“And that’s how I got through some of the bad times, and I was able to come back and throw the ball well. Because I didn’t, (it) was always said that I was a mental midget, or that I was weak mentally, I feel like I was one of the stronger mentally sound people in the game just because of the fact of what I had to go through, and what I put myself through on a lot of occasions.”
The two-time All-Star frequently was mentioned in trade rumors throughout his time in Boston, so when the call came that he was headed to Philadelphia, he wasn’t surprised.
“But I do miss the guys, it was good to see ‘em (Red Sox),” he said. “It was time for a change for me. It was time for a change. I mean, I knew I thought I was getting traded for the last two years.”
Buchholz made 188 starts for the Red Sox, which is 16th most in franchise history.
Thumbnail photo via Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports Images
