OAKLAND, Calif. — The Boston Red Sox may be having trouble scoring runs, but their pitching looks dominant, and it could get even better soon.
Left-hander Felix Doubront will be activated from the disabled list Friday night, when he will start against the A’s. He missed the past month due to a strained left shoulder.
Right-hander Clay Buchholz, out with a hyperextended left knee, pitched six shutout innings for Triple-A Pawtucket in his second rehab start Thursday afternoon and flew to the Bay Area after the game to rejoin his teammates.
Buchholz pitched six shutout innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out five.
Red Sox manager John Farrell said everything points to Buchholz making his next start in the major leagues, although a date is not yet scheduled.
“Today was very good,” Farrell said of Buchholz’s start before the Red Sox lost 4-2 to the Oakland A’s. “He was able to get up to nearly 90 pitches in six shutout innings of work. His changeup feel and execution was much improved, and the shape to his overall pitches was consistent, particularly with the way he threw his changeup today. A lot of strikes. …
“His start was one that we all felt was needed, but he went about it the right way and comes back to us with momentum.”
Doubront will take right-hander Brandon Workman’s spot in the rotation. Workman is serving a six-game suspension for throwing near the head of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria on May 30.
“His last start was much improved in terms of overall stuff,” Farrell said of Doubront. “There was increased intensity, increased velocity, increased action to his pitches that are going to be required here.”
Fantasy Update: Doubront has a tough matchup against the A’s right off the bat so you may want to wait to start him until he gets a start or two under his belt.