With an injured shoulder that wouldn’t heal, Hanley Ramirez has been shut down by the Red Sox for the rest of the 2016 season, marking an end to a disappointing year after the 31-year-old signed a four-year, $88-million contract last winter.
The first base experiment will also be cut short, since the Red Sox prefer Ramirez rest than spend time on the diamond working with infield instructor Brian Butterfield. Interim manager Torey Lovullo said the Sox fully expect Ramirez to learn first base during spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., next year and hope he’ll be able to play the position adequately next year.