Red Sox' Beckett placed on disabled list

TOKYO, March 25 (UPI) -- Boston starting pitcher Josh Beckett, the only pitcher in the major leagues to win 20 games last season, opened the 2008 season on the disabled list.

Beckett was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a lower back strain. The roster move was made retroactive to March 19, making Beckett eligible to return to the lineup April 4 after his teammates return from their season-opening, two-game series in Tokyo.

The right-handed pitcher didn't make the trip to Japan with the Red Sox, who played the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday to open the 2008 season.

Beckett, 27, was 20-7 last season with a 3.27 earned run average and 194 strikeouts, and was the runner-up in the American League Cy Young Award voting. He is 77-52 over his seven-year major league career and 36-18 since joining the Red Sox prior to the 2006 season.