Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett missed his scheduled start on Monday night because of back spasms. Beckett called Boston manager Terry Francona on Sunday night after the club returned from New York and told him his back was tight. With the postseason in mind, the team gave Beckett's start to Michael Bowden as a precaution. "It's his upper left side, which is good," Francona said. "This time of year guys feel it a lot. It wasn't a real difficult decision and [Beckett] kind of agreed. He could have pitched." Beckett is expected to pitch next on Saturday against the Indians.

Manny Ramirez wasn't in the lineup for the Dodgers on Monday afternoon. Pittsburgh defeated Los Angeles, again preventing them from clinching the National League West title. "Manny felt something the other day similar to where Casey [Blake] has a little bit of a hammy. It happened Saturday but it doesn't seem too serious," manager Joe Torre said. "I had planned to give him a day and [play him Monday] ... he came in today still a little sore."

Tigers pitcher Jarrod Washburn is putting off surgery in hopes that he'll be able to return late in the postseason. Washburn, out since his troublesome left knee swelled on Sept. 15, will rejoin the Tigers in Detroit on Monday. He'll then begin what Detroit's head athletic trainer Kevin Rand called an "extensive rehab" program in hopes of getting back on the mound if the Tigers need him. Even if Washburn is able to pitch for the Tigers again, Rand said it would have to be "deep" in the playoffs.

Cubs pitcher Rich Harden will not pitch again this season. Harden asked the team to shut him down for the remainder of the season on Thursday. "He doesn't want to pitch and we respect his wishes," Piniella told the Associated Press. "I spoke with him briefly and he's not going to pitch any more. He's done a real nice job here and the staff has done a nice job of keeping him nice and healthy." Harden has struggled with high pitch counts and failed to make it past the fifth inning in his last four starts. He will be eligible for free agency after the season.

Justin Morneau is out for the rest of the season because of a stress fracture in his lower back. Despite having to miss the final 20 games of the season, he finished with 30 home runs, 100 runs batted in and a .274 batting average. "It's sore when I do certain movements like swinging," he said. "Guys are sore all the time, and you just learn how to play through it. I thought it was one of those things I could play through, but I found out that I couldn't." Morneau reiterated that there will be no surgery. "I'll rest it and let it heal, then start doing some low-impact stuff, get in the pool and start (rehab) workouts and not put a lot of pressure on it," he said. "Then I'll get back to regular workouts, and in January I should be 100 percent and ready for spring training."

Freddy Sanchez will require surgery after the season to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. The Giants will likely not exercise their $8.1 million club option and choose a $600,000 buyout instead. The Giants are likely to discuss a two-year deal for less money, though. Sanchez had left knee soreness at the time the Giants acquired him from the Pirates in late July.

The Phillies have sent catcher Carlos Ruiz back to Philadelphia to have his sprained left wrist examined. Ruiz injured the wrist in a tag play against the Braves on Friday, and informed the team that it was still bothering him after he played in the second game of a double-header against the Marlins on Tuesday night. "We don't think it's serious," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "We just thought it made sense to be cautious and have him examined."

White Sox closer Bobby Jenks is done for the season. Jenks pulled his right calf muscle in pregame drills on Tuesday aggravating a previous injury. "I am most likely done for the year," Jenks said. "Today, during the stretch and warmups, I went a little overboard and did a little too much. I completely pulled it." Jenks is eligible for arbitration this winter, which could end his time with the White Sox.

Twins third baseman Joe Crede plans to have a third surgery on his back this week. Crede, who is out for the season, expects to have fluid removed from a herniated disk that is impeding on a nerve. "It's something I have to do if I want to get back out there," Crede said Sunday. The recovery time for the procedure is typically two months. Crede has had two major operations in the past two years. He played in only 144 games with 502 at-bats from 2007-08.

Rockies starter Aaron Cook was pain free after throwing 50 pitches on Saturday. However, there is still no guarantee that Cook will start on Thursday against the Padres. Colorado manager Jim Tracy told the Denver Post that he won't make a final decision until next week. "I felt g-o-o-d," Cook kidded. "Seriously, I felt really good. I would like to start, but I'm going to do whatever the club needs."