Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz still has pain behind his right shoulder and will be re-examined on Friday to determine the severity of the problem.
Buchholz has not thrown during the All-Star break after he experienced soreness following a bullpen session on Sunday.
“Once he got on the mound, and whether it was consecutive outings or consecutive work sessions of that intensity, that’s where he felt like things were starting to take a step back a little bit,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said
Farrell remains optimistic that Buchholz will return at some point this season. He already has spent 1 1/2 months on the disabled list. Two MRIs — the last one on June 27 — found bursitis no evidence of structural damage.
“We have every intention and hope and outlook that he will resume pitching this season,” Farrell said, according to MLB.com. “I wish I could give you an exact date to be honest with you, and I know Clay would, too.
“There’s no one more frustrated in this than Clay — and that needs to be made clear. This is a guy who is a strong competitor. He recognizes the situation we’re in and he wants to be on the mound. That’s the bottom line, but at the same time, his body is telling him one thing.”
With Buchholz’s return apparently iffy, the Red Sox are rumored to be interested in Chicago Cubs right-hander Matt Garza. The Cubs are currently entertaining offers for Garza as the July 31 trading deadline approaches.
Buchholz has been limited since May 22 to 11 2/3 innings in two outings. Before that, he was in a groove with a 9-0 record and a 1.71 ERA in 12 starts.