Before he exited Citizens Bank Park with a strained right forearm and a murky prognosis Tuesday night, Clay Buchholz stood powerless on the mound. He pitched for 21 minutes in the first inning of a 14-4 Phillies loss and fooled no one. The Mets mounted a three-run lead three batters into the game. Buchholz recorded his first out on his 22nd pitch.
The veteran righthander was dismantled.
It is not clear when Buchholz will pitch again, but the initial returns on a $13.5 million investment by the Phillies are not good. He is an injured pitcher with a history of injuries.