Will the Red Sox trade Clay Buchholz? Teams are reportedly interested

Clay Buchholz smiles in the ninth inning enroute to a 6-1 win against the Houston Astros. Jim Rogash/Getty Images

By Henry McKenna @McKennAnalysis

November 3, 2015

2 minutes to read

Clay Buchholz is somehow healthy at the perfect time for the Red Sox.

Of course, it would’ve been nice for the injury-prone starter to play more than 18 games during the 2015 season, but Buchholz’s sound health now could make him a valuable trade asset.

“Everyone is aware of his history, and the potential that he won’t make 80 percent of his starts,’’ an American League general manager told The Boston Globe, “but for the price, a lot of teams will make inquiries to Boston about him.’’

The Red Sox announced Tuesday the team will pick up his $13 million option, but the risk surrounding Buchholz is tremendous. He has averaged 18 games per season in his career and 20.6 in the last three seasons. Yet while the Red Sox may be fed up, other MLB franchises seem to see an opportunity.

“Everyone knows the frustration level he brings, but we all know how good he can be also. He’s reaching that age where he’s learned how to pitch. Sometimes a player or pitcher gets a lot of injuries in the first half of their careers because they haven’t figured out what they need to do to stay healthy. There’s always the hope that Buchholz figures that all out.

“If he can, he’s as good as anyone out there.’’

Buchholz had a 3.26 ERA and 8.5 strikeouts per game during his 2015 season. Before getting injured, the 31-year-old allowed only four runs in a 24.1 inning-stretch. That’s the Clay Buchholz that is sparking interest around MLB.

The Globe’s Nick Cafardo outlined a few options for the Red Sox to explore:

We know that Boston’s depth will be useful in trying to acquire a top-flight reliever. Kansas City for instance, may lose outfielder Alex Gordon, and it has been interested in Jackie Bradley Jr. for two years. Would Boston deal Bradley for a reliever such as Luke Hochevar or Kelvin Herrera? Would San Diego be interested in Buchholz in a package for closer Craig Kimbrel?

You might even get teams to overpay for Buchholz. The Red Sox appear to have a major chip here.