Boston Red Sox Report Cards: Clay Buchholz

The BoSox Injection staff reflects on the 2016 season by grading each member of the Boston Red Sox based on expectations for them entering the season.

With the World Series ending in the next week, decision time is getting closer for the $13.5 million option the Boston Red Sox hold on Clay Buchholz. The team has five days after the end of the World Series to make that decision about a pitcher who has never pitched for another organization. The 31-year old Buchholz was a first round draft choice in 2005.

When the Red Sox signed Buchholz to a $43.5 million deal after his fantastic 2010 season (17-7, 2.33 ERA), they were certainly hoping the two options for 2016 and 2017 at the end of his deal would be easy decisions to keep him. The intervening time has been anything but clear cut.  Last year, he was pitching fantastically when his season ended due to injury (3.26 ERA in 18 starts), so the decision was an easier one to exercise their option for 2016.

Buchholz’ past performance has been alternatively tremendous and terrible.  A brief cross section of his seasons tells this story.  In 2013 he posted a 1.74 ERA in limited time (18 starts).  He came back in 2014 and puzzled Red Sox Nation with his 5.34 ERA over 28 starts.  Then he came back last season with another solid performance cut short by injury.

More from Red Sox News

• Red Sox missed perfect free-agent signing to torment Yankees
• Red Sox finally get validation after Andrew Benintendi-White Sox contract
• Red Sox fans’ concern about Justin Turner signing speaks volumes
• Latest Red Sox-Rafael Devers contract update might be final straw for fans
• Is Jean Segura the solution to Red Sox’ Trevor Story concerns?

2016 was a perfect crystallization of his entire career.  Alternating bouts of dominance and ineffectiveness which confound all Red Sox fans. His starts in April? He allowed five runs in four of them and zero in the other one. ERA 6.53. May 4 was a good day for him, two earned runs over seven innings. Then over the next four starts, two more starts of at least five runs allowed. The writing on the wall seemed clear. This was going to be Buchholz last year in Boston. He wouldn’t be worth the money.

As he has throughout his career, Buchholz picked himself up and became a factor. This year the team tried a bullpen trip to get him going and it worked, eventually. After one scoreless relief outing, there was an awful outing in Baltimore, three runs on three hits with four walks thrown in. Three more scoreless outings, so let’s try him in the rotation again. Three lousy starts later, back to the bullpen where he was his usual inconsistent self again. Is he staying or is he going?

August and September brought the good Buchholz back. Splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen, Buchholz posted a 2.86 ERA in August and 3.14 ERA in September. The Red Sox even trusted him with a playoff start. A four inning, two earned run effort was not great but it kept them in the game. The Cleveland Indians may be the team of destiny this year and they were able to close the Red Sox out.

Buchholz had to swallow his pride to get his mojo back at the end of the season. Down the stretch when the Red Sox were going for a playoff spot he was excellent as the above stats showed. He stayed healthy for the whole season for the first time in seven years. His 3.22 ERA over the season’s second half was money and unexpected, considering his 5.91 first half ERA.

On the flip side, some other numbers were troubling. Buchholz’ strikeout to walk ratio was a career worst 1.69. His home runs allowed per nine inning was also the worst of his career (1.4).

Grade: B-

Next: Porcello or Kluber for Cy Young?

What’s Next?

The Red Sox need to pick up his option for 2017. That opinion might not be popular among fans, but you have to take the starting rotation into account as a whole. Steven Wright, Eduardo Rodriguez and Drew Pomeranz are all question marks. Wright and Rodriguez from last season’s injury woes and Pomeranz from his 4.59 ERA in his American League starts last season (his 1.8 homers per nine innings also troubling).

As a whole Clay Buchholz did not have a great year (4.78 ERA) but he is a known quantity, something the Red Sox need for 2017.