"I thought in my mind I would be on the mound in a deciding game, as well," Buchholz said. "It was a little far-fetched at one point this year, but you know, I'm still here. So I'm excited for the opportunity."
Monday's outing at Fenway Park will mark Buchholz's sixth career postseason start and his first such action since the 2013 World Series, when he started Game 4 against the Cardinals.
Buchholz went 4-0 with a 2.63 ERA in his final seven starts of the regular season, permitting just one earned run in 13 innings over his final two starts against the Orioles and Yankees.