After the Boston Red Sox hired Dave Dombrowski to become their president of baseball operations, rumors of all sorts began to swirl. One of them involved the future of starting pitcher Clay Buchholz, who hasn't pitched in an MLB game since July due to an elbow injury.
Those rumors suggested Dombrowski might decline Buchholz's $13 million team option for the 2016 season because the 30-year-old has never thrown over 189 1/3 innings in his nine-year career due to constant injury troubles. Additionally, his inconsistencies over the past few seasons are glaring, as you can see below:
2012: 11-8 with a 4.56 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 129 strikeouts in 29 starts
2013: 12-1 with a 1.74 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 96 strikeouts in 16 starts
2014: 8-11 with a 5.34 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 132 strikeouts in 28 starts
2015: 7-7 with a 3.26 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 107 strikeouts in 18 starts
The Red Sox are in need of a No. 1 starter, and while Buchholz has shown he possesses such talent, it's unknown what to expect from him on any given night. As a result, it was believed the Sox could use the $13 million for another investment.
However, rumors from last week indicated Buchholz could still remain with the team.
"The Red Sox hope Clay Buchholz can throw a bullpen session Sunday, and if he looks like he's en route to health they will pick up his $13-million option. He will not pitch again this year, however," Jon Heyman of CBS Sports wrote.
And Dombrowski was transparent with the issue on Wednesday.
"Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has told the media, Clay Buchholz and his agent that if the pitcher is deemed healthy at the conclusion of the 2015 season, picking up Buchholz' '16 team option for $13 million would be the team's likely course of action," writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
"Buchholz threw what was likely his last bullpen session of the season prior to Wednesday night's Red Sox win, coming through the exercise without incident."
So as of right now, it appears as if Buchholz's option will be picked up, which will also give the Red Sox the ability to keep him through 2017 (he has a $13.5 million team option for that season as well).
But the fact that Dombrowski is picking up Buchholz's option doesn't mean the right-hander will remain in Boston. In fact, if his option is exercised, it actually gives the opportunity for the Red Sox to get value for him.
"My feeling is they'll wind up dealing either Clay Buchholz (after they pick up the option)," writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
"Buchholz is someone who teams would want even though you may be not able to count on 20 starts from him. The $13 million option isn't something teams would shy away from."
There are plenty of clubs throughout the MLB that wouldn't mind acquiring Buchholz and having him under a team-friendly deal, regardless of his injury history. It's a bargain one-year commitment that could turn into a two-year, $26.5 million deal. In this day and age, with pitchers getting paid over $20 million annually, Buchholz's contract is almost laughable in terms of his talent and ability to deliver when he's healthy and in a rhythm.
So while the Red Sox are likely to exercise Buchholz's option, it's not at all telling about his future in Boston. Dombrowski has some work to do this offseason, and with a starting rotation that clearly lacks an ace but has a lot of young talent, Buchholz could be on the way out. After all, the team has much cheaper options in Wade Miley, Joe Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Henry Owens and Brian Johnson, if all of those youngsters appeal to Dombrowski.
