BOSTON (AP) – Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield has been left off the playoff roster for Boston’s first-round series against the Los Angeles Angels because of his ailing back.

Manager Terry Francona said Tuesday the goal was to get Wakefield healthy enough for later in the playoffs, should the Red Sox advance. Wakefield (17-12) threw Tuesday, but did not feel good.

“We all know Wake. He bleeds for us,” Francona said. “But he understands this is the right thing to do. We were going to possibly put him in a situation that was not fair to him or the team.”

Wakefield was 17-12 with a 4.76 ERA in 31 starts this season. He declined to comment before the decision was announced and wasn’t available afterward.

The Red Sox instead will carry a third catcher, Kevin Cash, who played 12 games this season after being called up in mid-August. Francona said the move would give the Red Sox more flexibility to make substitutions, particularly speedy rookie outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury.

“We want Ellsbury to be able to impact games, if needed, and that can mean running for a number of different people,” Francona said.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said the team would decide by Wednesday morning whether outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. was healthy enough to play in the series. Matthews has an injured left knee.

“We have a series a little spread out in the next two or three days,” Scioscia said. “Is he going to be functional enough to go out and play center field? If not, then he most likely will not be activated for the series.”

Matthews hit .252 with 18 home runs, 72 RBI and 18 steals this season.

Wakefield was left off the playoff roster once before, in the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees in 1999. That year, the versatile Wakefield went back-and-forth between starting and closing because of injuries to reliever Tom Gordon.

Wakefield had a strong start to this season and string of 22 scoreless innings over three starts in August. But he was scratched from an outing on Aug. 31 because of the back injury, and wasn’t as effective after his return, winning just once in five starts.

Before beating Minnesota in Saturday’s AL East clincher, Wakefield was 0-2 with a 10.70 ERA in his previous four starts.

Francona said he’d hoped to use Wakefield in long relief. Jon Lester will step into that role.

“Now doing this, we can slow (Wakefield) down, his throwing, not rush him into two or three innings in a game where’s he’s not ready, and get him ready for a start, hopefully, later on,” he said.

AP-ES-10-02-07 1658EDT