Clay Buchholz left Thursday’s start against Tampa Bay after just five innings with lower back tightness, a continuation of a lingering issue.
Buchholz had allowed just one run on two hits and his pitch count was at 81. There were no severe indications of back pain while he was on the mound, but the Red Sox had Alfredo Aceves warming in the bullpen during the bottom of the fifth.
Aceves took over for Buchholz to begin the sixth.
Although he wanted to give his team more than five, Buchholz felt that pushing the issue could lead to more physical problems.
"It feels like a pulled muscle that’s in there and every time I try to get out and extend a bit more with every pitch, that’s when I felt it," he said. "The last inning, it felt like I was compensating my delivery for it. That’s how you’re going to get yourself hurt in other places."
Buchholz, who improved to 6-3, is hopeful that some treatment, as well as some approaching days off on the schedule that can allow the team to shuffle its rotation, will keep him off the disabled list.
"With the way the team is playing nobody wants to go on the DL. That’s what I was thinking about," he said. "I think we have a couple of days now where we can move people around with the off-days coming up and everything, so check it out again tomorrow and see.
"I want to go out there and pitch every day. I don’t want to take two weeks for anything. Get back in the training room and let the staff over there help it out any way they can."
Buchholz gave up six runs – five earned – in 4 2/3 innings against Baltimore on June 3 in a game that first brought the back issue to light. He was given an extra two days off before his next start last Friday in New York.
The right-hander allowed a run on just three hits in defeating the Yankees, and looked just as strong early against Tampa Bay.
The timing of the injury is somewhat positive, if there is such a thing. If Buchholz needs any extra time off, his starts can be picked up by Andrew Miller, who is slated to join the rotation early next week.
Miller was expected to replace Tim Wakefield or to be featured as part of a temporary six-man rotation, but both he and Wakefield could remain in place if needed. The off-days come June 23 and June 27, so Buchholz may be given a week or so between starts once again.
That is if the injury is not any worse than it was before Thursday's start began.
"We've certainly got to look at this," said manager Terry Francona. "We don’t want him going through the rest of the season a four- or five-inning pitcher and kind of hurting. We’ll know more in the next couple of days, see how the thing calms down."
Buchholz's next scheduled start would be Tuesday at home against San Diego, although the pending arrival of Miller would probably alter that anyway.
