Jon Lester Placed on 15-Day Disabled List Due to Left Lat Strain

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Jul 6, 2011

BOSTON — Jon Lester will be placed on the disabled list due to a left lat strain suffered Tuesday night in his start against Toronto.

Lester received an MRI on Wednesday afternoon. The team was still awaiting the results as Scott Atchison arrived to take Lester's spot on the active roster.

Manager Terry Francona said that if Lester was not placed on the DL, he still would have been scratched from his scheduled start Sunday and then "the last out of the chute" following the All-Star break. That would have lined up Lester to pitch July 19 in Baltimore. By placing him on the disabled list, the club can utilize the roster spot and still have Lester return by July 22 at the earliest.

"It was a no-brainer," Francona said.

Lester threw four no-hit innings against the Blue Jays before telling the staff of the pain in the lat, a muscle beneath the shoulder that stretches from the back to the side below the armpit. He told reporters Tuesday night that the whole muscle hurt, but he was confident it would not be a long-term issue.

Francona added that Lester has had issues with muscle cramping in the past, particularly in warm weather. The manager was hopeful that the MRI would show little more than that and that Lester can return on time.

Reliever Matt Albers suffered the same injury earlier in the year and was able to return after his 15 days were up.

The timing of the injury is unfortunate for the Red Sox. Not only had Lester been on a bit of a roll (he owns a 2.08 ERA over his last six starts), but the team is still trying to determine the severity of Clay Buchholz's back injury and dealing with John Lackey's extreme inconsistency.

Presumably, Alfredo Aceves will start Sunday against Baltimore at Fenway Park in Lester's place, but Francona said Wednesday that he has not made his mind up on that. Much of it may depend on if he needs to use Aceves in the coming days out of the bullpen.

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