TORONTO -- Without question, Clay Buchholz is frustrated by his move to the bullpen. That said, the right-hander would like to officially start his stint as a reliever as soon as possible.
"When I spoke to him today, he said he feels good enough to be ready today," said Red Sox manager John Farrell before Saturday's game. "Our plan was to get him a light bullpen [session] today in advance of making his first appearance out of the 'pen, whenever that would be. He's bounced back good. He feels like he's ready to go."
Farrell said that the earliest Buchholz would pitch in relief is Sunday's series finale in Toronto. The four-game series that starts in Baltimore on Monday might be more realistic.
For the second day in a row, Buchholz had no interest in discussing his move to the bullpen with reporters.
"I got moved to the bullpen. You can write it down," Buchholz said before walking away from his locker.
Farrell thinks it's somewhat natural for Buchholz to be processing the move with frustration. The hope is that the veteran will use his disappointment as a trigger to perform better.
"He's a competitor," said Farrell. "I would think he views himself as a starting pitcher but understands the situation we're in. The biggest thing is to go out and pitch and perform, and he's capable of doing that. While he might not like the current situation, that's where we are. If he pitches to his talents and abilities, that role can potentially change."