Clay Buchholz

Andrew Miller is about to get his big shot with the Red Sox. And the Red Sox might just find out how smart they were to take a chance on him in the winter.

Clay Buchholz joined Jed Lowrie and Carl Crawford on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday as the Red Sox placed the right-handed starter on shelf with lower back strain. He is the third Red Sox player to land on the DL in as many days.

Taking his spot on the staff is lefty Miller, who will take Buchholz’s place in the rotation and will start Monday in series-opener against the Padres. Miller was selected from Triple-A Pawtucket and added to the 40-man roster while the move with Buchholz is retroactive to June 17.

The 26-year-old Buchholz is 6-3 with a 3.48 ERA, allowing 76 hits with 60 strikeouts and 31 walks in 14 starts. He is undefeated in nine straight starts since the beginning of May, compiling a 5-0 record with a 2.59 ERA in that span. Since the start of the 2010 season, Buchholz ranks third among qualifying American League pitchers in both ERA (2.70) and winning percentage (.697).

For Miller, this is his first career stint with the Red Sox after signing with the club as a minor league free agent last December. The 26-year-old left-hander is 3-3 with a 2.47 ERA, 61 strikeouts and 35 walks over 13 appearances (12 starts) with Pawtucket this season, including a 2-1 mark with a 1.78 ERA in his last four outings (three starts) since May 29.

Few pitchers in baseball had higher expectations in the 2006 MLB draft.

Originally signed by the Tigers with the sixth overall selection in the first round of the 2006 draft, Miller struggled out of the gate with the Tigers, going just 15-26 with a 5.84 ERA.

In 294 1/3 innings, he allowed 191 earned runs, while striking out 238 and issuing 174 walks over 79 career Major League games. After struggling with the Tigers, he moved onto the Marlins before 2008 and signing his minor league deal with the Red Sox last December.

Miller has sparkled in Triple-A, leading all qualifying pitchers with a .181 opponent average this season and ranks fourth among that group in ERA.