Red Sox put Beckett on disabled list

The Boston Red Sox placed Josh Beckett on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a strained lower back as the New York Yankees formally protested manner of his removal from their game the night before

Tim Wakefield was to replace Beckett as the starter Sunday at Philadelphia.

Beckett left Boston's 7-6 victory over the Yankees on Tuesday night after allowing a two-run double to Robinson Cano with two outs in the fifth.

The Yankees protested to umpire crew chief Larry Vanover after Boston pitching coach John Farrell went to the mound and signaled to the bullpen for Manny Delcarmen before manager Terry Francona and a trainer also went to the mound.

On Wednesday, the Yankees filed a formal protest with the commissioner's office.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the issue isn't whether Beckett was hurt, but how he was removed from the game.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Delcarmen shouldn't have had unlimited warmup pitches.

The Yankees believe Delcarmen should have been allowed just the standard eight warmup pitches, instead of all the time he needed.

"In my eyes it was not done in the right way," Girardi said. "Anytime a guy is in trouble, you signal to the bullpen and say, 'Oh, he's hurt.' That's a huge advantage."

Beckett, who missed his previous scheduled start with back spasms, said he hurt himself on a pitch to Alex Rodriguez, the batter before Cano.