Phillies pitcher Clay Buchholz diagnosed with tear in arm

Clay Buchholz has started 2017 poorly, and now a significant injury can be added to his woes.

After alternating significant  injuries and poor pitching over the last four seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Clay Buchholz got a change of scenery with an offseason trade to the Philadelphia Phillies. After a mediocre first start of the season last week — four runs allowed on eight hits over five innings — he took the mound against the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

Things did not go well for Buchholz, as he was charged with six runs on eight hits over 2.1 innings. He was lifted from the game with an apparent injury during that third inning, and after the game came a diagnosis of a right forearm strain. An MRI followed on Wednesday, and the news was not good.

There are three words a fan never wants to hear attached a pitcher on their favorite team: Dr. James Andrews. Buchholz is likely facing an extended absence, and surgery is an option that would end his season, with a second opinion coming from the noted doctor.

There’s wide range of outcomes for injuries similar to Buchholz’s, as laid out over MLB Trade Rumors, from no surgery (Steven Strasburg, Tyler Skaggs), to eventual surgery (Homer Bailey) to serious enough to end a career (Cliff Lee). Imaging showing a partial tear of his flexor pronator mass suggests Buchholz is on the less severe end of that scale of outcomes, but the second opinion from Dr. Andrews will shed better light.

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Buchholz’s absence will provide the Phillies a chance to get a look at someone currently in the starting rotation at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Zach Eflin, Jake Thompson and former No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel are among those that may get call to the big leagues.