Jason Varitek (knee) is not playing Tuesday.

Neither is Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who is sidelined with a collarbone injury. Ryan Lavarnway will start at catcher for the Red Sox on Tuesday evening vs. Baltimore.

Jason Varitek (knee) was scratched from Monday's lineup against the Orioles.

Varitek was on the original lineup card, but is still feeling the effects after taking a pitch off his knee during Sunday's game. Jarrod Saltalamacchia will start behind the plate and catch Josh Beckett. By the way, Salty hasn't caught Beckett since April 5.

Jason Varitek (knee) is back in Boston's starting lineup on Monday night against the Orioles.

Varitek made an early exit from the second half of Sunday's doubleheader with the Red Sox after taking a pitch off his knee in the fifth inning. He's probably sore, but these are massive games for the scuffling Sawx. It'll be the 29th consecutive time he's caught Josh Beckett this year.

Jason Varitek (knee) is expected to play Monday.

Varitek made an early exit from Sunday night's game against the Yankees after suffering a bruised knee when he was hit by a pitch in the fifth inning. But he's expected to be behind the plate Monday night for Josh Beckett's final start of the regular season. It'll come against the O's.

Jason Varitek left Sunday's game in the seventh inning with an undisclosed injury.

Varitek hit an RBI single to put the Red Sox up 4-3 and pulled up at first base with his hands on his hips, slightly doubled over. He was replaced by pinch-runner Joey Gathright, who was promptly caught stealing. We'll update you on Varitek's status when more information is disclosed.

Jason Varitek ripped a solo homer and scored two runs in Thursday's loss to the Blue Jays.

The blast came in the ninth inning off Jays closer Frank Francisco. The veteran catching has had a power spike lately, going deep four times over his last nine games to give him 11 for the season.

Jason Varitek doubled, homered and drove in three runs in Boston's 9-5 win over the Yankees on Wednesday.

Varitek has now homered in back-to-back starts, and driven in nine runs in his past six games. Through 220 plate appearances, he's sporting a .240/.313/.454 triple slash.

Jason Varitek went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in a win over the Athletics on Saturday.

Varitek slugged a two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning and added an RBI single in the fifth. This was his first multi-hit game since July 10. The 39-year-old backstop has nine home runs over 192 at-bats this season, but is batting just .234 on the year.

Jason Varitek belted a solo homer in Tuesday's loss to the Rays.

It's his eighth homer in just 177 at-bats this season, but the veteran is also hitting just .226 for the season. He'll continue to serve as the backup to Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Jason Varitek isn't worried about his 1-for-23 (.043) start.

"It can't get much worse," he said. "I don't mean that in a funny way. It can't. I've never hit this bad. I need to use my eyes a little better. Fortunately, I have a mind that I can help us win in a different way right now." Varitek is no longer an offensive asset, and that coupled with Jarrod Saltalamacchia's struggles at the plate could necessitate the Red Sox going out and finding a catcher sooner rather than later.

Jason Varitek is in Wednesday's starting lineup against the Indians.

Varitek was expected to catch one of the next two games. He'll bat seventh against Mitch Talbot in his first start of the season.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Friday that Jason Varitek will be an active backup this season.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia will get the start behind the plate on Opening Day and should catch most of Boston's games this season, but Varitek can still offer production in doses. "We want to try to take advantage of the way Tek swings the bat right-handed and the way [Saltalamacchia] swings the bat left-handed," Francona said. "We'll look at things like that." It sounds like a platoon could develop.

Red Sox signed C Jason Varitek to a one-year, $2 million contract.

The deal also includes about $300,000 in performance-based bonuses. Varitek might have been able to score a bigger contract from the Dodgers or some other club, but he's played all 13 of his major league seasons in Boston and the Red Sox want him to continue mentoring Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Red Sox have reached a one-year, $2 million agreement with catcher Jason Varitek.

The Dodgers expressed some interest in adding Varitek, but he's played all 13 of his major league seasons in Boston and probably didn't want to pack up and move. He should see a decent amount of playing time behind Jarrod Saltalamacchia next season but won't be much of a fantasy option. The 38-year-old Varitek hit .232/.293/.473 with seven homers over 112 at-bats in 2010.

A source told ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes that the Dodgers are taking an "exploratory" look at free agent veteran Jason Varitek.

The Dodgers are looking for a reliable backup to Russell Martin, who has struggled with injuries recently. Varitek turns 39 next April, but he did slug seven homers in 112 at-bats this past season and can still carry a full-time load if Martin goes down again. The Red Sox also have interest.

The Red Sox have declined to offer arbitration to Jason Varitek.

Varitek, who turns 39 next April, has spent his entire 14-year major league career as a member of the Red Sox, but he could be suiting up elsewhere next season. There's uncertainty behind the plate for Boston, however, as Victor Martinez is headed to Detroit and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hasn't proven that he can stay on the field. Varitek should be a serviceable backup wherever he ends up.

A source tells Maureen Mullen of CSNNE.com that the Phillies could be interested in signing Jason Varitek as a backup catcher.

Varitek, who turns 39 next April, has spent his entire 14-year major league career as a member of the Red Sox, but it looks like he'll be suiting up elsewhere next season. He would be a decent backup for any numbers of teams, but the Phillies don't exactly stand out as the best fit, as they still have Brian Schneider under contract for another season.

During an appearance on WEEI.com Thursday, Red Sox manager Terry Francona indicated that the organization is prepared to move on without Jason Varitek.

"I think there has to be a time when you put your emotions aside and you talk about your team," explained Francona. "Because if you don't, you're going to make mistakes. I don't want to do that, either. I've been around 'Tek for a long time, ever since I've been here. But I also want to continue to win. So when you go into these meetings, I think you try to recognize what they bring. At the same time, we're going to try and put a team out there that can win and try not to make mistakes because of how hard emotions are." Varitek, who turns 39 in April, plans to play next season, but it sounds like he'll have to find a job elsewhere. There's quite a bit of uncertainty behind the plate for Boston, though, as Victor Martinez will be a free agent and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hasn't proven that he can stay on the field.

Despite a teary goodbye in the final Red Sox game on the 2010 schedule, Jason Varitek could still return to the team next year.

GM Theo Epstein acknowledged how important Varitek has been to the team, and said "I think there's uncertainty with our catching situation, and we'll see how things turn out. That's the nature of the future. We just don't know." Sounds like he's leaving the door open for Varitek to come back and backup Jarrod Saltalamacchia if the team decides to save money at the position.

Jason Varitek acknowledged Tuesday that this could be his final week with the Red Sox.

"It's there," said Varitek. "It's obvious. You try not to think about it, and I hope you guys don't ask me too much about it over the weekend, but it's there -- it definitely is." Varitek, 38, plans to keep playing next season, but he might have to suit up with a different team for the first time in his career.