According to Sean McAdam of CSN New England, Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz is likely out for the rest of the regular season with a stress fracture in his lower back. Buchholz, whose last start came on June 16, has been on the disabled list and has suffered several setbacks when throwing off a mound.
Buchholz threw off a mound last Monday and said that he felt that it was a definite step in the right direction. However the very next day, he experienced more soreness and underwent an MRI that revealed a stress fracture in the lower back. Buchholz was previously under the assumption that his lower back was only inflamed.
McAdam believes that it's entirely possible for Buchholz to return in the postseason for the Red Sox. He also believes it's possible that Buchholz will return in September, but every Boston minor league team's regular season ends by that time. Therefore, Buchholz couldn't go on a rehab assignment at that time. More from McAdam.
Without the benefit of live game conditions to build arm strength, it would be difficult for Buchholz to return late in the season. It's conceivable, the source said, that Buchholz could pitch in relief in the postseason, but that would be asking a great deal for someone who will not have faced major league hitters since mid-June. (via CSNNE)
Yesterday, the Red Sox acquired Mariners lefty Erik Bedard in a three-team trade with the Mariners and Dodgers. Bedard will likely join a pitching rotation that includes Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, John Lackey, and Tim Wakefield for the rest of the season with Buchholz gone. Buchholz was 6-3 with a 3.48 ERA before landing on the D.L.
You had to be a little worried that something like this was coming. With Buchholz out of the fold for probably the rest of the regular season, the team will likely rely on big starts from the oft-injured Bedard and the inconsistent John Lackey for the rest of the season.