Clay Buchholz named Red Sox' Opening Day starter

Clay Buchholz will take the mound April 6th as they open the 2015 season in Philadelphia, getting his first Opening Day start with the team.

While there was some small possibility Rick Porcello would get the honors, Clay Buchholz was always the obvious choice for the role. That's in no small part because he's the only player who was with the team this time last year. And it doesn't hurt that, if one pitcher is going to emerge from the team's motley crew of starter as lead man, Buchholz has about as much of a shot as Porcello.

It's certainly easy to forget, but two seasons ago Buchholz started the year off looking like a Cy Young favorite. That season ended with Buchholz just barely managing to get off the disabled list in time for the stretch run, and as has been the case with him in the past, the road back from injury (see: 2012) was difficult at best.

For now, though, Buchholz appears healthy. His spring has largely gone without a hitch, and he has his off-speed offerings under control. With the Red Sox likely wanting to reinforce the idea that they view him as his 2010, 2011, and 2013 self, rather than the broken version that we saw in 2014. And with the Phillies not presenting the most dangerous of lineups, this should give him a reasonable shot to start the season on the right foot.