Go back, Buch
Bullpen proper place for surging righty
ST. PETESBURG, Fla. — There’s a whole lot of good that came out of these past three starts by Clay Buchholz.
What’s not to like about that 2.70 ERA and the 13 strikeouts and five walks in 162⁄ innings? 3
But keep Buchholz in the rotation once Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez are set to return, and presumably push Drew Pomeranz into the bullpen?
Count me out of that brainstorm.
Let’s not overthink Act XXIII of the Clay Buchholz Experience.
Let’s pump the brakes and go back in history to, say, late April and May when Buchholz was stitching together that 6.00 ERA during the course of six starts that wound up sending him into Relieverville.
I understand Buchholz is a new guy now pitching out of the stretch, and that he has a 1.96 ERA during his past three starts and five relief appearances before then.
I also understand this: I don’t trust him more than others to keep it up. My well of faith has run dry when it comes to Buchholz and believing he can maintain this run — especially when there are equally compelling options in a rotation that suddenly is gushing quality starters.
The lesson learned from Buchholz’ past three starts is no different than the one we learned from his equally satisfying bullpen experience. He has turned a corner. He might very well stay turned and never look back and go on one of those sparkling runs that he’s pulled before.
I’d still put him back in the bullpen.
The bullpen needs more help than the surging rotation right now. The starters’ run won’t stop without Buchholz.
I don’t want to be cold about it. He’s been a true asset in the bullpen, and considering none of the relievers is a sure bet outside of Craig Kimbrel, returning Buchholz to the bullpen helps the team far more than hurts it.
“I like starting. That’s what I’ve always done,” Buchholz said after last night’s 2-1 win in which he pitched 61⁄ innings and allowed 3 one run on five hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. “The bullpen deal that I’ve been doing, it’s given me another perspective. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.” Good. That tells you he’d be fine going back there. It’s also good because there are still better options for the rotation.
First off, let’s not suddenly back off Pomeranz now that he is finally starting to resemble the Padres starter the Red Sox thought they were getting. His past three starts — 2.00 ERA, 14 strikeouts, three walks in 18 innings — beat Buchholz’ three starts by any measure.
There are concerns with Pomeranz. He is at a career-high 1401⁄ innings, 3 plus he has plenty of experience as a reliever, including last year when he was a very effective one for the A’s. When you combine his experience, the innings issue and the not-to-be-minimized but still mysterious health matter that made the Red Sox cry foul to MLB on the trade, one can see how the team might eventually place Pomeranz in the bullpen.
But not now. Unless the Sox have a health-based rationale, Pomeranz needs to stay exactly where he is.
Nobody, hopefully, is thinking that Wright needs to go to the bullpen to make room for Buchholz. And nobody, actually, better be thinking that Eduardo Rodriguez is going to the bullpen, either.
In fact, I wouldn’t be shocked if even though Rodriguez said yesterday his hamstring is fine and he has one more bullpen test tomorrow to pass, the Red Sox find a way to stretch out Rodriguez’ down time to one more turn in order to allow Buchholz to start again.
But I’d be surprised at that decision.
Rodriguez was on a roll, too, before getting hurt, and like Pomeranz, his roll was better than Buchholz’ roll. In his past three starts, Rodriguez has a 2.35 ERA with 18 strikeouts and four walks in 151⁄ innings. 3
The Red Sox like to say these kinds of dilemmas — having too many qualified players or pitchers for not enough positions — have a way of working themselves out. As manager John Farrell said last night, the team needs to pow-wow regarding this decision.
“To carry his stuff as deep as he did today, that was an encouraging and very strong outing,” Farrell said. “We’ll make sure that guys are coming through their rehab, the temporary injury stuff that we mentioned.
“Talked about before the game that Steven’s on tap for Friday. As far as Clay goes, this will be more conversation within. But setting that aside, he’s throwing the ball exceptionally well right now.”
The Buchholz story right now is refreshingly positive. That won’t change when he returns to his rightful spot in the bullpen.