Boston Red Sox News: Clay Buchholz On Several Teams’ Radar?

Longtime Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz is reportedly drawing heavy interest from various teams around baseball, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

Buchholz, 30, is in the midst of a rebound season after several injury-plagued and overall disappointing campaigns lowered his value. In 15 starts, Buchholz carries a 5-6 record with 3.86 ERA. The numbers may not stand out, but that’s only because the Red Sox offense has been disappointing thus far.

Additionally, Buchholz is by far the Red Sox’s most attractive trade chip at this year’s trade deadline. Being that he is still just 30-years-old and is mere rental, since 2015 is his last official contracted year (as his contract contains two team options for 2016-2017 that are valued at $13 milion and $13.5 million respectively.)

Cafardo mentions the Royals, Tigers, Twins, Blue Jays, Yankees, Cardinals, Orioles, Angels, and Dodgers as teams that are interested in Buchholz. Yet, teams should be wary of acquiring the right-hander, as he does have a history of injury issues.

Those issues have included a pulled hamstring, a stress fracture in his back, a neck strain, and several other injuries that caused the Texas native to miss significant playing time. Despite all of that, the Red Sox have not stated that they are interested in trading Buchholz.

In a recent report by Rob Bradford of WEEI.com, he wrote that the Red Sox have no intention of trading Buchholz, a pitcher, who at times has been their ace. An ace who, despite missing time in 2013, still posted an outstanding line of 12-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 16 starts.

Buchhholz himself stated to Bradford that he would like to remain with the Red Sox.

“Yeah, unless something crazy happens I expect to be here. I’ve always called this place home. [Trades] happen, and it’s happened to a lot of guys, where they walk in and they’re told their somewhere. That’s the business part of it and I think everybody understands that.

This is not the first time that Buchholz has found his name in trade rumors. As the Inquisitr reported this past offseason, there were rumors that the team might be willing to give up on him due to inconsistency and go in a different direction. But that is not what happened, and he has rewarded them thus far with a rebound season.

In fact, Buchholz wants to remain with the team beyond 2015.

“I would love to be here throughout the next couple of years and everything goes well sign another extension. That’s sort of how I look at it.”

[Image by Jared Wickerham / Getty Images]