Boston's Buchholz to visit Dr. Andrews
Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz, frustrated that his injured shoulder is not improving as quickly as he would like, is scheduled to visit orthopedist Dr. James Andrews on Monday in Pensacola, Fla., for a second opinion, multiple media outlets reported.
Red Sox manager John Farrell said he hopes the examination will give Buchholz assurance that it's safe to resume pitching, ESPNBoston.com reported.
Andrews has viewed MRI images of Buchholz's shoulder, but Buchholz and the team hope a visit will be more productive.
Buchholz has not pitched since June 8 and has thrown just 11 2/3 innings since May 22
Before the All-Star break, it seemed Buchholz was on the verge of returning to the rotation. But Buchholz complained of soreness during a bullpen session last Sunday in Oakland, Calif., bringing his throwing program to a halt.
Farrell said Buchholz's discomfort only occurs when he is pitching from the mound.
"To get some verification, clarification from Dr. Andrews to put his mind at ease is probably as important as anything he's dealing with from a physical standpoint," Farrell said, according to the report.
"I don't really know why it's taking as long as it is," Buchholz told reporters Saturday. "That's definitely part of it, for me at least. Obviously knowing the MRIs and all things I've done, they show there's nothing going on in there. But there's something going because it doesn't feel right."
