Sep 15, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz (11) pitches during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
BOSTON — Clay Buchholz’s season is not over.
Red Sox manager John Farrell said Buchholz would pitch at some point in the World Series, which began Wednesday night with Boston facing the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park.
According to media reports, the Red Sox were considered shutting down the right-hander because of arm fatigue and starting left-hander Felix Doubront in Game 4 on Sunday night at St. Louis. However, Farrell said Wednesday that Buchholz would start either Game 3 on Saturday night at Busch Stadium or Game 4, with right-hander Jake Peavy starting the other game.
Farrell said he would make his decisions after observing how right-hander John Lackey fares against the Cardinals on Thursday night in Game 2 at Fenway.
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Allen Craig was back in the Cardinals’ lineup for the first time in more than six weeks in Game 1, batting cleanup and serving as the designated hitter.
Craig was sidelined out since Sept. 4 because of a Lisfranc sprain in his left foot. However, the Cardinals felt he was ready to at least be the DH after he participated in a series of simulated games last week.
“We just needed to see him healthy,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said.
There is a slight chance Craig might play first base when the series moves to St. Louis for Game 3 on Saturday night. The DH rule is not in effect in games in the National League park.
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Right-handed-hitting Shane Robinson started in place of left-handed-hitting Jon Jay in center field for Cardinals with the Red Sox pitching left-hander Jon Lester. Robinson also started the clinching Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday night.
Jay is hitting .206 (7-for-34) in the postseason with no extra-base hits. Robinson went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the Game 6 win over the Dodgers and likely NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw, a lefty.
“We just try to make the best decision each individual day, and Shane is coming off a real tough assignment against Kershaw and had a big day for us,” Matheny said. “He deserved another opportunity.”
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The Red Sox again started right-handed-hitting Jonny Gomes in left field against a right-hander.
Gomes was in the lineup against the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright rather than left-handed-hitting Daniel Nava. Gomes made his seventh start in the postseason. Nava has four.
Farrell said Gomes likely would start Game 2 on Thursday night against Cardinals rookie right-hander Michael Wacha but Nava might get a start in Game 3 against right-hander Joe Kelly or Game 4 against right-hander Lance Lynn.
“With Wainwright and Wacha, there’s not the pronounced left/right splits as there might be with Lynn and Kelly,” Farrell said.
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The Game 2 matchup features a rookie, Wacha, against a veteran, Lackey.
Wacha is 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA in three postseason starts after going 4-1 with a 2.78 ERA in 15 regular-season games. Lackey was 10-13 with a 3.52 ERA in 29 regular-season starts and is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two postseason starts.
