Josh Beckett

Josh spent his early years with the Florida Marlins, but frequent blister problems limited him to only 99 starts (102 appearances) from 2002 to 2005.

He made his major league debut on September 4th, 2001 against the Chicago Cubs, in which he gave up one hit over six shutout innings. He finished 2001 with four games started, a 2-2 record, and an ERA of 1.50.

In the 2003 postseason, Josh was integral to the Florida Marlins in winning the World Series.

In a deal that was made official on Thanksgiving Day, 2005, Josh was traded to the Boston Red Sox, along with third baseman Mike Lowell and relief pitcher Guillermo Mota, for minor league prospects shortstop Hanley Ramírez and pitchers Aníbal Sánchez, Jesús Delgado and Harvey García.

On July 18, 2006, Beckett signed a three-year, $30 million contract extension with a $10 million club option for 2010. He completed his first season with the Boston Red Sox with a record of 16-11 and a 5.01 ERA. In 204.2 IP, he gave up 191 hits and struck out 158 batters while walking 74. Beckett allowed 36 home runs, tied for second most in the majors.

At the start of the 2007 season, Beckett adjusted to throwing more breaking pitches and fewer fastballs. He reduced his walks and home runs allowed by nearly half. Josh became one of six Boston Red Sox pitchers in history to win their first 7 starts.

On May 8, 2008 Beckett recorded his 1,000th career strikeout, when Brandon Inge of the Detroit Tigers struck out swinging in the seventh inning.

Career NotesJosh Beckett became the first Red Sox pitcher to hit a home run in 35 years — since the advent of the designated hitter rule — when he took Phillies’ pitcher Brett Myers deep during an interleague game on May 20, 2006.

Personal Josh is unmarried, but has dated supermodels, country-western singers, and so on.