FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -Curt Schilling will travel to Tokyo with the Red Sox on Wednesday despite being on the 60-day disabled list with a shoulder injury that is expected to sideline him at least half the season.
The right-hander doesn’t count against the 30-man roster for Boston’s exhibition games on Saturday against the Hanshin Tigers and Sunday against the Yomiuri Giants.
Outfielder Coco Crisp and shortstop Julio Lugo, who both missed most exhibition games with injuries, will travel with their teammates. Crisp, who had been sidelined with a groin injury, homered in a minor league camp game Tuesday.
The Red Sox can have a 28-man roster for their two regular-season games in Japan against the Oakland Athletics next Tuesday and Wednesday but can activate just 25 for them. They must get down to the regular-season limit of 25 when they continue the season in Oakland on April 1.
Boston has 13 pitchers on the roster for Japan, although Jon Lester will stay behind and pitch in a minor league game on Thursday then arrive in Tokyo on Saturday. He’s scheduled to pitch the second regular-season game.
Daisuke Matsuzaka, slated to start opening day, heads the group of pitchers that includes Lester, Tim Wakefield, Hideki Okajima, Clay Buchholz, Jonathan Papelbon, Mike Timlin, Julian Tavarez, Manny Delcarmen, Kyle Snyder, Javier Lopez, Bryan Corey and David Aardsma.
Ace right-hander Josh Beckett will not make the trip because of a back injury.
The rest of the roster is catchers Jason Varitek, Kevin Cash and Dusty Brown; infielders Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Lowell, Sean Casey, Alex Cora and Jed Lowrie; outfielders Manny Ramirez, Jacoby Ellsbury, J.D. Drew, Bobby Kielty and Brandon Moss, and designated hitter David Ortiz.
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