BOSTON, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- The American League champion Boston Red Sox have left starting pitcher Tim Wakefield off their World Series roster.
Wakefield was left off the American League Division Series roster with soreness in his back but was added to American League Championship Series roster and pitched in a Game 4 loss in Cleveland.
It was reported that Wakefield has a shoulder injury.
Game 1 of the World Series is set for Wednesday night in Boston. Josh Beckett will start for the Red Sox and Jeff Francis for the Colorado Rockies.
Wakefield had a 17-12 record and a 4.76 ERA in 31 starts this past season. But the 41-year-old knuckleballer missed a scheduled start Aug. 31 with a back injury and was just 1-2 in his last five starts. He gave up 39 hits and 24 earned runs over his final 24 2/3 innings.
