Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett and Lester were the only dependable starters in the first half (John Smoltz, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Brad Penny all had losing records). While Lester remained effective in the second half, Beckett began to struggle, and when All-Star Tim Wakefield was placed on the disabled list, Buchholz replaced him in the rotation.
Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett, and Lester were the only reliable starters in the first half (John Smoltz, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Brad Penny all had losing records). While Lester remained effective in the second half, Beckett began to falter, and when All-Star Tim Wakefield was placed on the disabled list, Buchholz took his place in the rotation.