BOSTON — Josh Beckett hasn’t touched a baseball since his last outing. As a result of the pitcher’s recovery from back stiffness, his starting status moving forward remains uncertain.
While Franklin Morales will take Beckett’s spot in the rotation on Sunday, Red Sox skipper Bobby Valentine indicated that there’s still a chance for Beckett to pitch sometime next week.
“I don’t think Monday, I don’t know about Tuesday,” Valentine said. “He might miss a whole start or we might slot him in. We’re trying to see how everyone else fits with Josh’s recovery, but he hasn’t thrown a ball yet, so it’s hard, it’s kind of silly to say when he’ll pitch in a game.”
Despite still suffering back stiffness, Beckett is “feeling much better,” according to Valentine. Although Beckett opted against attempting to throw on Friday, the 32-year-old managed to sneak in a workout session.
If he continues to progress properly, Beckett could wind up avoiding a stint on the disabled list.
“That, too, is kind of nebulous,” Valentine said, when asked about placing Beckett on the DL. “But it seems unlikely.”
Beckett already spent a brief stretch on the DL toward the end of June and into July, when he was sidelined with shoulder inflammation. Through 18 starts this season, Beckett has posted a 5-9 record with a 4.54 ERA.
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