Red Sox place Shane Victorino on disabled list, call up Jeff Bianchi

The Red Sox have placed Shane Victorino on the 15-day disabled list, calling up utility infielder Jeff Bianchi in his stead.

Victorino has been in and out of the lineup of late with an assortment of aches and pains. Most recently, he started Saturday night's game against Los Angeles before exiting in the early innings with a calf injury. It would be no surprise if there was no single injury necessitating this trip, with the Red Sox simply trying what they can to get him healthy and able to play consistently.

Still, the timing is a shame. Victorino started the season ice cold, but had put together an excellent run since he returned from his previous DL stint, picking up nine hits in his last 16 at bats with three walks, a double, and a homer. He actually led the Red Sox in OBP before Brock Holt retook the lead at .380 on Saturday night.

Still, that's kind of the nature of Shane Victorino at this point. He played through injury fairly consistently in 2013 to get the Red Sox to the World Series, and hasn't been able to stay healthy since. It's a trade both he and the Red Sox will take, I'm sure. But a shame all the same.

Bianchi, 28, has seen limited playing time in three seasons in the majors. While he has a high OBP in Triple-A Pawtucket, he's put up similar numbers in the minor leagues at times in the past, and hasn't ever managed to translate it after the jump, holding a career MLB line of .216/.251/.283. He's got a good glove, though, so the Sox might use him as a late-inning defensive replacement, possibly shifting Brock Holt into left field for Hanley Ramirez while Bianchi takes third.