After the Red Sox’ Daisuke Matsuzaka left his Monday start following seven walks in 4-1/3 innings, he was sent for an MRI exam, which took place yesterday.

Today, via tweet from Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com, we learn that this elbow stiffness is “consistent” with a strained ligament, and that Matsuzaka won’t be re-examined for “two weeks”, which would basically mean the entire length of the DL stint.

If a pitcher isn’t “re-examined” until his DL time is just about up, that likely means several more weeks before he’s ready to pitch again; that is, if surgery isn’t needed. It may be quite some time before the Japanese right-hander sees game action again.

Matsuzaka’s turn was to come up on Saturday at Fenway Park against the Cubs; instead, Alfredo Aceves will make that start. Like the Red Sox, the Cubs are also missing two of their five starting pitchers; Tim Wakefield will make the Sunday start that was originally scheduled for the now-disabled John Lackey.