Red Sox RHP Buchholz scratched from Monday's start

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz was scratched from his scheduled start against Philadelphia because of irritation in his collarbone area.

The 28-year old right-hander said it was his choice not to make his Monday start due to the discomfort.

"Being as early in the season as it is, I want to make sure Im 100 percent everytime I go out there, rather than 80, 85 percent and risk having this thats going to be something that lingers," he said. "Just want to cut it right now and hopefully a couple more days, two, three more days, Ill be back where I was at."

He is off to a splendid start, going 7-0 with a 1.73 ERA. He said if it was later in the season, he'd take the mound.

"It was my call," he said. "It's just something that's there and the doctors have all said I can go out and throw and I'm not going to hurt anything."

He feels like his hot start is important for the team to keep rolling, but knows skipping his turn is what's best.

"Yeah, that's what's hard about it. I want to be out there every day," he said. "I think I would be doing the team an injustice if I'm not 100 percent like I have been all year. Yeah, that was the tough part, on my side of it. But, fortunately enough, we've got a couple of guys that can fill in for that one start, so it's not going to hurt anybody."

Alfredo Aceves is slated to take Buchholz's place against the Phillies' Tyler Cloyd.

Cox Media Group