Injured Buchholz believes he has 'turned a corner'

BOSTON -- Clay Buchholz hasn't pitched in a game for the Red Sox since June 8, but the ace right-hander finally feels he is making progress from the neck strain that put him on the disabled list.

"It's finally turned a corner actually," said Buchholz. "I feel like I'm finally getting close to feeling pretty much normal now. So the last few days of throwing are encouraging. Like I said, I'm finally able to clear my head a little bit and go about it as just getting back to getting off the mound."

Buchholz played catch at a distance of about 100 feet on Wednesday. He needs to get to 120 before the Red Sox permit him to throw off of a mound.

"It could be tomorrow or it could be in a couple days," Buchholz said.

Once Buchholz is successful throwing off the mound, the Red Sox can plot out a Minor League rehab assignment.

"As far as the rehab stuff goes, me personally, if I felt good in the first start, I would ask him just to throw me back in there [to the rotation]," said Buchholz.

The Red Sox might take a more cautious approach.

"We have to look at the calendar and start to backtrack how many days [he's been out]," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "We're a month away from his last start. Without sitting and talking to Clay a little bit more candidly or specifically on what he's experienced, we'll map that plan out a little more clearly in due time."