Beckett Pulled From Start With Back Spasms

Amalie Benjamin, Globe:

Josh Beckett walked to the mound at City of Palms Park yesterday [Saturday], threw one warm-up pitch, and put his hand to his lower back. He tried five more tosses before alerting catcher Jason Varitek, who brought out manager Terry Francona and the trainers. That was it for Beckett, who was removed as a precaution before the start of the game against the Florida Marlins. He was diagnosed with lower back spasms.

"In his first warm-up toss after warming up in the bullpen, in which he was fine, his landing foot seemed to give way just a little bit," pitching coach John Farrell said, indicating that the slide of Beckett's front foot put pressure on his back one. "That's when he felt some spasm or some tightness in his low back." ...

Michael Silverman, Herald:

The Red Sox do not know if Beckett will be able to make his next spring training start on schedule or how long he will be out ...

Beckett will be re-evaluated today by the Red Sox medical staff, a checkup that could include an MRI depending on how Beckett feels in the morning. ...

Inconsistencies in the "texture and content" of the game mound and the one Beckett used to get loose in the bullpen, said pitching coach John Farrell, were a factor in the mishap, although Beckett has had back soreness for the past week. ...

Beckett was going to throw twice more in Florida before lining up to start Game 1 of the regular season on March 25 in Tokyo and then Game 3 in Oakland on April 1.