ARLINGTON, Texas - The jarring reappearance of Clay Buchholz in the visitor’s clubhouse at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, just four days following a one-and-done pitching performance after which he was sent back to Triple A, indicated that something was amiss. So, too, did the limp of Tim Wakefield as he walked around the clubhouse, however slight the stutter in his step.
The Red Sox yesterday placed Wakefield on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain, an injury that had begun to bother the knuckleballer Friday, was exacerbated by his simulated game that day, and has not improved. So Buchholz will start in Wakefield’s place tonight, on his regular turn.
“I don’t know how it came on,’’ Wakefield said. “I felt the little twinge on Friday on my way to Toronto and then I had a lot of work to do that day, threw a simulated game, and I felt fine. Afterwards, it just tightened up on me. Trying to make it get better, I’m getting treatment every day. It just doesn’t seem to be going away right now. So the smart thing to do team-wise is DL me, make sure I’m healthy.
“Because if I go out there and try to pitch and only go two or three innings, I’m [affecting] everybody else in this clubhouse, and I don’t want to do that.’’
Wakefield said they hadn’t been able to determine the source of the pain, though he said he’s “just got some sharp pain in my glute area. We don’t know if it’s stemming from low back pain or something that’s not right in there. My hips might not be aligned right from not having thrown on the mound for a week then getting right back on the mound again. It could have jarred something in there and just caused a big spasm and hasn’t been able to let go yet.’’
The Sox waited until yesterday in an attempt to get Wakefield ready to pitch but determined it would not be possible.
The Sox clearly are trying to turn Wakefield’s stint on the DL into a positive. He has pitched with a SLAP (superior labral anterior posterior) tear in the labrum of his throwing shoulder the past three seasons, and has not finished the season on the roster either of the past two campaigns. By originally scheduling Wakefield to pitch today, as the final starter back from the All-Star break, the team already had tried to work in some extra rest for him. His last start was July 8.
“I think we’re going to try to make it be good,’’ manager Terry Francona said. “We don’t want him to be hurting like this. The last couple years, things have happened and it’s ended his season. Rather than try to push a start, that didn’t make much sense.
“We’ll try to use it to our advantage. Hopefully this will be a situation where he can take a week or so and strengthen his shoulder and take that time to do that when he’s not pitching and then if we get that lower back feeling better, he can come right back where he left off.’’
“Speaking on past experiences, I do need to slow down,’’ Wakefield said. “Last year it was like, there wasn’t really a solution to get me some time off. Plus I was pitching very well at the time. I think we’re very well-covered right now.’’
Wakefield was put on the DL retroactive to Saturday. Because Buchholz was called up, and pitched Friday, that meant the Sox could not put Wakefield on the DL retroactively to his last start. He will be eligible to return Aug. 2.
The move has the dual benefit of showcasing Buchholz in the run-up to the trade deadline, in case the Sox are considering using him as bait to make a deal. While they have not wanted to trade young talent under general manager Theo Epstein, this gives teams a chance to see Buchholz face major league talent.
Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com. 
