Josh Beckett News

Prescription for Beckett is simply rest
"Josh Beckett can rest now, which is what he needs. He never admitted as much this month, no matter how obvious it became. The Red Sox couldn't afford sitting him, even when, under different circumstances, Beckett would not have pitched. Beckett will not need an offseason operation for his strained right oblique, but had the injury occurred during the regular season, he would have been placed on the disabled list, general manager Theo Epstein said. Beckett's weakened performance in the postseason was due only to the oblique, Epstein said, and not the elbow inflammation that led him to see specialist James Andrews at the end of August. His recovery will be merely six weeks of rest, Epstein ..."
Beckett fools 'em with change
"There is no need for anyone connected with the Red Sox to give lefthander Jon Lester a pep talk before his scheduled start tonight in the deciding game of the American League Championship Series. Lester watched rotation-mate Josh Beckett make it through five mostly difficult innings in a 4-2 victory against Tampa Bay last night at Tropicana Field. Beckett's performance provided inspiration for Lester. "He's a battler," Lester said. "He competes as hard as he can. He didn't have the kind of stuff that he normally has, but he pitched his butt off." This marked the third consecutive postseason start in which Beckett did not make it to the sixth inning. The difference this time was that ..."
Battery powers Red Sox
"That was Josh “Big Game” Beckett who came to the rescue of the Red Sox last night. In the 4-2 ALCS Game 6 victory over the Rays, Beckett turned in his finest, most October-of-2007-like performance yet, holding the Rays to two runs and four hits in five innings. Jason Varitek’s solo home run in the sixth gave the Sox a lead the bullpen never relinquished. Click here to find out more! Now with the series tied at 3, the Sox are one win away from returning to the World Series for the second season in a row. They will have their best pitcher, Game 3 loser Jon Lester, on the mound for tonight’s deciding seventh game, with the Rays turning to Game 3 winner Matt Garza. James Shields - the Rays’ ..."
Beckett is game
"As many times as manager Terry Francona has repeated that Josh Beckett will be his Game 6 starter in the American League Championship Series, it hasn't seemed to take. Francona was asked the question again after the Red Sox' comeback against the Rays in Game 5 and reiterated his decision. John Farrell got his turn at it yesterday, just minutes before Beckett was poised for the press conference featuring the Game 6 starter. While the Red Sox haven't considered switching Beckett with Game 7 starter Jon Lester recently, it did come up in discussions prior to the series. "That was part of the initial conversation when we set out the rotation at the beginning of the series," Farrell said. "But ..."
All falls on Josh
"Thursday was David Ortiz’ day of redemption. Tonight, Josh Beckett can take his turn. Given his reputation as Senor Octubre, Ortiz’ considerable struggles this postseason were front and center behind the team’s AL Championship Series plight. Then came his three-run home run Thursday night in the seventh inning of Game 5 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Just like that, nearly everything was forgiven. Beckett’s impeccable October reputation, forged in 2003 and last year, has taken a huge hit with two poor starts this postseason - 11.57 ERA, 18 hits, five walks in 9 innings. Like Ortiz, it is not too late for Beckett to wipe away the uncharacteristic sloppy October this year. One quality start ..."
Beckett rumor hard to stomach
"Red Sox manager Terry Francona quickly and firmly shot down an Internet report that pitcher Josh Beckett has been dealing with a torn oblique muscle he suffered in his final start of the regular season. "Oh, man," Francona said Thursday night before Game 5 of the American League Ch