Prior to his team's game with the Athletics Tuesday night, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine revealed that Monday night's starter, Clay Buchholz, battled a re-occuring blister issue on the middle finger of his pitching hand.
"They tell me it’s a chronic, it’s a little thing, that pops up often when he’s throwing well because that curveball I’m sure it comes off the finger so hot," Valentine said. "He doctors it and pitches with it. He never complained about it and it was never an issue during the game. I’m bringing it up just because it popped up in the report after the game."
Buchholz explained that it was a problem that he has dealt with ever since his promotion to the major leagues in 2007. The right has had to pop the blister on occasion, but it has never been torn, which might necessitate missing a start.
"Every start it's different for me," the pitcher said. "I've dealt with it the whole time I've been here. It's never been to the point where I need to come out of a game."
Red Sox pitching coach Bob McClure also reiterated that the blister shouldn't be an issue going forward.
"He's had that all the time," McClure said. "It dries up pretty good. It doesn't tear. It's not something we should be alarmed about. There's quite a few pitchers who have that. It's nothing to be concerned about."
Buchholz said the blister can be felt mostly when throwing two-seam fastballs, but wouldn't pin the problem on any part of his performance Monday night. Buchholz is 3-1 with an 8.69 ERA, having allowed six runs in 6 2/3 innings against Oakland in his most recent appearance (five of the runs coming in the seventh inning).
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