The Buchholz watch: Day 43

The Guru
Contributing Writer

The Clay Buchholz season of setbacks continues. He has not pitched sine June 8 and what started as a "day-to-day" injury has turned into minute by minute updates, medical reports, MRI's and frequent references to WebMD to look up "bursa sac".

Now comes the three words Red Sox fans dreaded to hear: Dr. James Andrews.

According to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford, plans are now being made for Buchholz to visit the renowned sports medicine specialist Monday. The Red Sox aren’t certain what the Andrews exam will reveal, but it's apparent the frustration is growing over what exactly is wrong with their star pitcher.

Manager John Farrell said, "he's extremely frustrated with it...[we] hope to get some clarification to put his mind at ease."

Buchholz looked like a potential Cy Young candidate to start the season, going 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA before the shoulder injury. There was hope he could start a minor league rehab this week, but Buchholz had another setback on Thursday as he continued to feel soreness after a throwing session.

Buchholz told reporters Saturday, “I don’t really know why it’s taking as long as it is. That’s definitely part of it, for me at least. Obviously knowing the MRIs and all things I’ve done, they show there’s nothing going on in there. But there’s something going because it doesn’t feel right.”

With Boston desperate for pitching help, the Sox had three rookies in the bullpen yesterday, they enter Sunday with just a game-and-a-half lead over the surging Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. The Rays come to Fenway on Monday for what could be a season defining four-game series.

Don't count on Buchholz being there.

Thoughts on Clay Buchholz? Comment below.

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