No matter the state of the 2015 Boston Red Sox, Clay Buchholz was enjoying a bounce-back season when he suffered a flexor strain that wound up ending his year.
Nine months later, he's set to debut against Cleveland on Wednesday night as the Red Sox try to win the first two of a three-game road series against a trinity of impressive Indians arms.
Buchholz suffered the elbow injury on July 10 and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list 18 days later. Prior to departing that final game early, the right-hander had won four straight starts with a 0.87 ERA. He didn't give up more than an earned run in his last five to complete a 7-7 year with a 3.26 ERA in 18 starts after going 8-11 with a 5.34 mark in 2014.
His manager said his spring work pointed toward further departure from that anomaly, culminating with a run and two hits allowed in four innings of his final start on Thursday.
"With each successive start here in camp, his arm strength has continued to improve," John Farrell told MLB's official website. "... It was a good tuneup for him, for Game 2 (of the regular season). But increased arm strength was most encouraging today.
"He didn't need any extra rest - took the ball each and every start, and showed improvement as we get closer to the opener here. A very good camp."
How many starts he can be expected to make remains in question. Buchholz has never started 30 games and has averaged 20.7 over the last three seasons, but did all he could to prepare for more this season.
"I got the right amount of innings in," Buchholz said. "The up and downs are always the most important part. If you get through those healthy, that's what you want. So that's been good."
His counterpart, meanwhile, is coming off a particularly impressive conclusion to his first 30-start season. In his last 10, Carlos Carrasco was 4-4 with a 2.48 ERA and .163 opponent batting average, including three nine-inning efforts.
The right-hander finished the season 14-12 with a 3.63 ERA. His 10.58 strikeouts per nine innings ranked fifth in the majors behind Cy Young contenders Chris Sale, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer and Chris Archer. His WHIP (1.07) was 11th, and he was one of 16 pitchers with an opponent OPS (.646) under .650.
Following Corey Kluber in the rotation along with Danny Salazar, the Indians are hoping for big things.
"Both of those guys, the sky's the limit," pitching coach Mickey Callaway said of Carrasco and Salazar. "I think either one could win a Cy Young this year coming up. The thing Kluber had (when he won the award in 2014), that's always been him - his personality, the way he worked - that's always been him. The other two, we've had to guide into that direction and they're getting there."
It'll be on one of them to get the Indians' first win after Boston opened the series with Tuesday's 6-2 victory. Mookie Betts and David Ortiz each hit two-run homers. Travis Shaw backed up his manager's decision to start him at third base over Pablo Sandoval by going 2 for 5 along with Betts, Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez and Brock Holt.
Ortiz hit .178 in spring training, but it's no secret how he feels about exhibition contests.
"He's still got it, absolutely,'' David Price said of his new teammate after earning the win. "I know he doesn't care about spring training. He's saving it all for the season. The opposing pitchers don't want to see him in that box."
The Indians are starting the season without Michael Brantley and Lonnie Chisenhall. There's no timetable for Brantley's return from shoulder surgery, while Chisenhall (wrist) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Thursday at Triple-A Columbus.
