Bertrand: Time Is Right For Red Sox To Trade Clay Buchholz
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox are playing their best baseball of the season, and Clay Buchholz is pitching like an ace.
Pitching with supreme confidence, Buchholz has consistently been Boston's best starter this season. His record sits at just 7-6, but his ERA is down to 3.27 following another gem over the weekend. Buchholz went the distance Saturday afternoon against the Houston Astros, holding one of the best teams in the American League to just one run while striking out eight. It was Buchholz's fourth straight win, and he's allowed just three earned runs in those four outings.
Watch: Dan Roche's 1-on-1 With Buchholz On WBZ-TV's Sports Final
But Boston still finds themselves six games under .500 and as many games out of first place in the AL East lead. Yes, they're playing well, but can they keep it up?
Marc Bertrand doesn't think so, and with Buchholz pitching as well as he ever has in a Red Sox uniform, believes the time is right for Ben Cherington to trade the righty. While the Red Sox will likely end up holding on to Buchholz and his $13 million contract for next season, Bertrand warns that this season's success likely won't continue.
"Here's the problem. The Red Sox will never bring themselves to admit he is not their No. 1 guy, and he will never be anything but a No. 3 or No. 4 starter," said Beetle. "I want them to move on for their own sake, so they stop fooling themselves by buying in on Clay Buchholz. Cash in the chip and move on, because they'll never be able to admit that he is never going to be what they thought he could be. He is never going to be that player."
Despite the pitcher's recent string of success, Bertrand says there is always that fear with Buchholz that something wrong is just one bad pitch away.
"You're waiting around every corner, 'when's the DL trip coming,' or 'when's he going to go in the toilet.' He's not consistent and he's not durable," said Bertrand. "Take those phone calls [around the deadline] and make that deal."
Beetle also fears Buchholz being on the roster will keep the Red Sox front office from going out and getting an ace in the offseason.
