Buchholz, who has been out for the last 6 weeks, is apparently suffering from a stress fracture in his lower back. It is not likely he will pitch again this season, however a post-season appearance has not been ruled out just yet. Now we can see why the Red Sox traded two very good prospects for an injury prone starter in Erik Bedard. With Bedard, it is a hit or miss situation. If the Red Sox make the post-season, they want 3 quality starters. As of now, they only have two; Beckett and Lester. Buchholz would have been the third starter, but with this news, the Red Sox will probably try to make Bedard that missing link. Of course, you don't know what is going to happen with Lackey. He could finish the year on a high note, or either get injured, or go 0-10 with a 10.00 ERA. He is, in my mind, too inconsistent to trust in the post-season.
Buchholz, whose last start was June 16, is scheduled to see noted back specialist Dr. Thomas Watkins in Los Angeles Monday. But Watkins will likely only confirm what has already been diagnosed. Buchholz threw off the mound last Monday and told reporters afterward that he felt the session was a step in the right direction, adding that he felt about 80 percent recovered. Guess not. Because the very next day, Buchholz experienced some additional soreness and underwent an MRI, which revealed the stress fracture.
Previously, the official diagnosis had been that Buchholz was battling stress inflammation of the back.
Such injuries are rare for pitchers. They are more common in position players. New York Mets third baseman David Wright was diagnosed with a stress fracture in mid-May and only recently returned, having missed about two months.
It's possible Buchholz could be physically ready sometime in September to resume pitching. However, it will be very tough for Buchholz to rehab in the minor leagues, because the season would be over for them. 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 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.
The Sox may have held off on making any announcement on Buchholz's condition out of fear that the news would cost them leverage in trade talks with opposing teams leading up to Sunday's deadline.
source: redsox.com, espn.com
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