Uehara shut down with break

The Red Sox were also expected to be without closer Koji Uehara, who was hit on his throwing arm by a comebacker on the final play of Friday night’s win over the Tigers.

Uehara was struck on the wrist by a line drive Friday off the bat of Detroit’s Ian Kinsler when he reached back with his bare hand to try to field the ball.

Uehara (wrist) will be placed on the disabled list Monday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. Opportunity will be knocking for Jean Machi, who was designated for assignment by San Francisco but will get the first shot at replacing Uehara.

Hanley Ramirez’s first season with the Boston Red Sox hasn’t gone the way anyone planned.

Uehara, 40, saved 25 games with a 2.23 ERA (185 ERA+) and a 0.92 WHIP in 40 1/3 innings this year before the injury. The Red Sox are in position to experiment a bit.

Ramirez’s power is still where it needs to be, as he’s second on the team with 19 home runs, but his on-base percentage is the worst of his career in a full season. The Dodgers, for example. And unless the Red Sox can build a deeper, more powerful bullpen for 2016, it won’t matter much that their closer will be healthy again well in advance of the start of next season.

Beyond that? The Red Sox will be forced to go into the free agent market or trade for bullpen help this winter.

Uehara signed to a two-year, $18 million deal last October.

Even with Uehara off the trade market, I imagine relievers like Craig Kimbrel, Joaquin Benoit, Francisco Rodriguez, Fernando Rodney and others will be available in August.

Koji Uehara’s season is over.