Josh Beckett left yesterday's spring training game without facing a batter when he was bothered by back spasms as he warmed up.

The Boston Red Sox ace, preparing to face the Florida Marlins at Fort Myers, Fla., seemed to lose his footing on his last pitch and called catcher Jason Varitek to the mound. Beckett put his right hand on the lower middle part of his back and soon was joined by manager Terry Francona and infielders.

The right-hander, the only 20-game winner in the majors last season, walked to the dugout without an apparent limp. The first batter for the Marlins was Hanley Ramirez, who was part of a seven-player trade that brought Beckett to the Red Sox in November 2005.

Manny Delcarmen replaced him on the mound and retired all six batters he faced.

Beckett had been healthy for almost all of his two seasons with the Red Sox. He made 33 starts in 2006 when he went 16-11 with a 5.01 ERA.

He started 30 games last year, improved to 20-7 with a 3.27 ERA and finished second to Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia in the AL Cy Young Award voting. He went on the disabled list and missed two starts in May after tearing skin on his right middle finger. He won his first seven starts and was 9-0 before losing to Colorado on June 14.

Yesterday, Beckett was scheduled to make his third start of spring training, but his first against a regular major league lineup. His first two games were against Boston College and a Minnesota Twins "B" squad.

DODGERS

LAROCHE OUT 10 WEEKS

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Andy LaRoche had no idea getting hit by a baseball could do so much damage.

LaRoche tore a ligament in his right thumb trying to catch a pickoff play at third base during Friday's 6-4 loss to St. Louis. He will have surgery tomorrow in Los Angeles and miss eight to 10 weeks, taking him out of a two-man competition at third and making Nomar Garciaparra the probable opening-day starter despite his own injury.

"I guess you can't say it's as bad as finding out someone died or something, but it's a shock," LaRoche said yesterday from Vero Beach, Fla. "You don't believe it at first. I just got hit by a baseball, but it's just one of those things you've got to accept it."

LaRoche entered the game in the fourth inning as a pinch runner for Garciaparra, who was hit by a pitch on his right wrist.

A half inning later, the 24-year-old LaRoche was injured when catcher Danny Ardoin's pickoff throw to third deflected off runner D'Angelo Jimenez and jarred his thumb.

LaRoche batted .350 in nine spring games with a home run and two RBIs.

Garciaparra suffered swelling and bruising from the hit and is day to day but X-rays found no serious problems.

"The thing with the hand is there are so many little bones in there you just don't know, so we just wanted to go make sure. Obviously, it was good to hear nothing was broken," said Garciaparra, who is batting .375 after hitting just .283 last season.

ORIOLES

KNEE SURGERY FOR BYNUM

Freddie Bynum will have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and miss at least five weeks, ending his bid to be Baltimore's starting shortstop on opening day.

Bynum complained about a sore knee early in camp, and an MRI revealed a torn meniscus. After trying to play through the pain, he decided surgery was the best option.

"I wasn't thinking about the 25-man roster or anything," Bynum said yesterday. "I was just thinking about my career, trying to be healthy and doing the things I know that I can do, which my knee won't let me do right now."

Bynum was competing with Luis Hernandez and Brandon Fahey to fill the void at shortstop left by the offseason trade of Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros. By submitting to surgery, Bynum eliminated himself from contention.

YANKEES

MATSUI TO PLAY TODAY

New York Yankees left fielder and designated hitter Hideki Matsui, coming off right knee surgery last November, is scheduled to make his spring training debut today.

Matsui, who also missed three days of batting practice after experiencing neck stiffness last Saturday, is on the travel list for today's game against Minnesota at Fort Myers, Fla.

"I'm ready," Matsui said yesterday. "I'm good."

Matsui likely will be limited to DH duties for a few games before playing in the field.