Red Sox have Lackey’s back

Lackey has not talked at length about his wife’s illness. He acknowledged the situation during spring training, saying that Krista had been diagnosed during the offseason. He asked that the details be kept private.

A series of positive steps came to an unexpected halt close to Opening Day, when doctors informed the couple that Krista needed more chemotherapy. She has since shown improvement, but nothing is guaranteed.

“If that would have happened to me, I would have been gone,’’ said Beckett, Lackey’s closest friend on the team. “I’m at home. There’s no way. I couldn’t do it.

“If my wife was going through that, I’d be in Texas. I’d tell the team to figure it out by themselves.’’

But Lackey kept taking the mound every five games wearing a pink rubber band on his wrist to acknowledge his wife and her struggle. Lackey was literally the worst starting pitcher in baseball through the first few weeks of the season, going 2-5 with an 8.01 earned run average.

“Everything in my life sucks right now,’’ Lackey said May 11 after giving up nine earned runs against Toronto.

He was placed on the disabled list four days later because of a sore elbow. It also was an act of mercy.

“It was a tough time for John and all of us who know him,’’ catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said. “You don’t wish that on anybody.’’

That Lackey had to be replaced in the rotation became a popular opinion in and around Boston. But not in the clubhouse.

“We never really doubted him or thought anything different. He takes the ball every fifth day and usually gives us a chance to win,’’ Saltalamacchia said. “What he’s going through this year and still being able to perform, you can’t really explain how much that means to the team.

“He has a lot of support around him from us. But at the same time, he comes to the field and supports us.’’

Lackey received a cortisone shot and was out for 25 days before returning. He is 9-3 in 13 starts since with an ERA of 5.17.