Assuming O’Sullivan is the first choice to get bumped from the rotation, that means the No. 5 spot is likely to boil down to a competition between Buchholz and Kelly.
"“I think if there’s one theme through the first 33 games, it’s competition,” said Farrell. “Internal competition is a really healthy thing and we’re obviously encouraging it.”"
The Red Sox have plenty of options for their rotation now that they are getting healthier, which puts the pressure on the players to perform. Nobody is being handed the role, they’ll need to earn it.
Next: Remembering when Clemens struck out 20
Rest assured, the five pitchers that make up the rotation will be the best available men for the job. Depth is a good problem to have, as it will allow the Red Sox to turn to alternative options if one of these pitchers doesn’t perform to expectations. That’s good news for the Red Sox, as it should lead to improved results from the staff as a whole.