SAN DIEGO – Clay Buchholz does not throw hard anymore. He does not dominate, not in an overpowering sense. And since his pure stuff does not instantly win over believers, he resides among a category of pitchers whose trust is earned over prolonged stretches.
If any doubters remain among the Diamondbacks’ decision-makers – or even among opposing teams or rival evaluators – their numbers are sure to be diminishing. Buchholz fired his first complete game in more than three years on Thursday night at Petco Park, shutting down the San Diego Padres in a 5-1 victory.
In a start that came two days after his 34th birthday, Buchholz did not have a feel for his best secondary pitch, his change-up.