Clay Buchholz underwent surgery to fix a torn flexor pronator mass in his right forearm, the Phillies announced. CSNNE’s Jared Carrabis reported last night that the Phillies right-hander had decided upon surgery to fix his injury. Buchholz visited Dr. James Andrews to get a second opinion on his diagnosis earlier this week, and Dr. Andrews performed the procedure earlier today.
Buchholz is expected to be out of action for anywhere from four to six months recovering from the surgery, so Buchholz’s 2017 season is in major jeopardy unless his recovery period hits the low end of that timeframe. Buchholz was diagnosed with the injury last week, and as MLBTR’s Steve Adams noted at the time, several notable pitchers in recent years have faced similar injuries with a rather wide and varied range of DL stints. Buchholz’s own situation still seems somewhat fluid given the two-month window for his projected time on the disabled list, though Buchholz has a pretty substantial injury history that could factor into his recovery, including a right flexor strain that cut short his 2015 season.
Even if a return is possible before the 2017 campaign is out, obviously this injury is a huge blow to both Buchholz and the Phillies. After acquiring the right-hander in a December trade with the Red Sox, the Phils were counting on Buchholz for some veteran stability for their rotation and perhaps even a late-career breakout with a change of scenery and a move to the National League. Buchholz has looked like a front-of-the-rotation arm at some points during his 11-year career while also enduring his share of (partially injury-related) struggles. The Sox shifted Buchholz to the bullpen last season, though he pitched well after returning to the rotation late in the year.
After just two starts and 7 1/3 innings with the Phillies, Buchholz has an ugly 12.27 ERA. Looking beyond this season, Buchholz is in scheduled to hit free agency this winter, and another significant injury on his record will impact his chances of landing a multi-year contract. Buchholz is probably headed for a one-year guarantee at the most, or possibly even a minor league deal loaded with contract incentives.
Righty Zach Eflin has been called up to take Buchholz’s rotation spot, with Eflin scheduled to start tonight’s game against the Mets.
Charlie Morton 2.0
Less than 5 starts after being arguably the biggest pitching addition of the offseason 2 years in a row
2 years in a row? Sure this last group was weak, but the year before had Price, Greinke, Zimmermann, Cueto etc etc, Morton and Buccholz aren’t even in the same conversation as the top 15-ish guys from 2 years ago.
I meant for the Phillies
Talk about going from potentially getting a multi-year offer (if he made 30 starts) to having to settle for a minor league deal now. Pretty big blow to his earning potential, but luckily for him he’s already made around $60M in his life.
Someone will probably give him a major league deal for a couple million. He’s better than a lot of teams fifth starters and someone will roll the dice on him and it won’t be such a big gamble. Andrew cashier just got 10 million from an AL team and he’s been injured and awful in two pitchers parks, and he’s probably half the pitcher buchholz is
I don’t think Buchholz has ever reached the 30 start plateau.
Nope, never. 29 once. Also never broken 190 innings in a season
That’s alright, let the kids pitch.
And Vazquez isn’t a starter.
Why Eflin over Pivetta?
Good get Pivetta Lively And Eflin starts. Lively best gamer of the bunch. Pivetta has good slider-fastball combo. Eflin just gets the balls scorched off him and somehow gets outs. Still there is no need to sign a veteran to replace Buchholz
Poor Claydro:(
As a Red Sox fan, this is about as surprising as the sun coming up this morning. Too bad, Phillie fans.
I can’t imagine what the Phillies were thinking when they ate the entire contract for a pitcher, who,let’s face it, has never been consistently healthy and very Jeckyl and Hyde.
I feel the same way… Never understood it and now, It puts it in the microscope.
Update on Bucky. The Phil’s announced a trade this evening. Buckholtz straight up for deGrom. “TC” reported to the press that , We would prefer to have confidence in what the prognosis is, then the uncertainty. We know that we have used and abused Jacob and that it would be better to move on and hope that Bucky is productive in 2018 or 2019 when most of these young pitchers will be long gone.”
For a guy that constantly makes accusations that the Mets are irrelevant, you have a remarkable habit of taking the conversation on an irrelevant tangent. We know that you hate the Mets. Repeating that point does not make it more profound — it only makes you annoying. Of course, that might be your goal in life, which further proves that everybody is a legend in their own mind.
Was this supposed to be funny?