Red Sox shut down Will Middlebrooks and Shane Victorino indefinitely - MLB

ESPN Boston’s Gordon Edes reports that the Red Sox have shut down third baseman Will Middlebrooks and outfielder Shane Victorino indefinitely. Neither player will be involved in baseball activities for the time being.

Middlebrooks, 25, suffered a broken right index finger after he was hit by a pitch on May 10. He was scratched from a rehab game on Monday when the finger swelled up. Middlebrooks slashed .197/.305/.324 with two home runs and nine runs batted in over 82 plate appearances.

Victorino, 33, has been out since May 24 with a strained right hamstring and back soreness. It’s the back soreness that continues to keep him out. Prior to the injuries, Victorino was slashing .242/.276/.352 with one home run and 10 RBI in 99 plate appearances.

It’s been a tough year for the defending world champions. They enter Friday’s action against the Yankees in fourth place in the AL East with a 36-43 record, eight games out of first place.

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LOS ANGELES — Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson, and Tommy Kahnle were activated by the New York Yankees ahead of their weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

New York cleared three roster spots after a 1-0 loss at Seattle, optioning infielder-outfielders Oswaldo Cabrera and Franchy Cordero to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre along with left-hander Matt Krook.

Stanton, Donaldson and Kahnle all played in a rehab game for Double-A Somerset. Stanton was hitless in three at-bats in his first appearance since injuring his left hamstring on April 15.

Donaldson went 1 for 4 in his fourth rehab game as he comes back from a strained right hamstring originally sustained on April 5.

Kahnle pitched one inning, giving up one run and one hit and walking two. He has been out since spring training with right biceps tendinitis.

Aaron Boone said he wasn’t concerned about Stanton returning after playing in just one rehab game. He did say that Stanton likely will be a designated hitter for a couple of weeks after rejoining the Yankees.

New York is missing centerfielder Harrison Bader, who strained his right hamstring against the Mariners and went on the injured list the next day.

Left-hander Carlos Rodón, sidelined since spring training by a sore left forearm and an ailing back, was transferred to the 60-day injured list.