Buchholz to throw off mound Monday

By Joe Haggerty
CSNNE.com Bruins InsiderFollow @hackswithhaggs
BOSTONClay Buchholz may be feeling stuff in his back while attempting to come back from a strain, but the Red Sox are looking to see a little progress in their lithe right-handers healing process.

Buchholz didnt take part in any mound-work on Friday afternoon while still feeling a bit of the strain in a troublesome back injury thats held the lithe righty on the disabled list since June 19. But Sox skipper Terry Francona said that Buchholz will throw a side session on Monday off a mound and see where the next step in progression and intensity takes him.

The Sox understand the caution exhibited by Buchholz and dont want to adversely affect their aces mechanics or arm health, but theres also only so long that a pitcher can be stuck in neutral with a non-arm injury. The pitcher might have to learn how to pitch with a slightly cranky back, or at least find out if its possible to throw off a mound with some level of discomfort.

"The plan is Monday he'll throw a side, said Francona. He may feel the strain, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll hurt himself. That's the kind of fine line we're walking right now.

"He's not ready to pitch. I don't think anybody thinks he is. We have a progression here, and it's going to have to be a consistent one. If you watch him throw, he looks great.

"There's some concern on his part, and I don't blame him. We're just taking it a step at a time and do it the right way."

With Buchholz just now attempting to throw a side session off the mound, theres no reason to expect that the righty will bebarring any setbacksback pitching for Boston much before mid-to-late August.