Hoffman Out at Least Half the Season

San Diego Padre closer Trevor Hoffman will have surgery to repair a bone in his pitching shoulder and will sit out at least the first half of the season.

Hoffman, fifth in career saves with 352, wouldn’t set a timetable for his recovery, but General Manager Kevin Towers hopes the right-hander will be available to pitch after the All-Star break. Hoffman, 35, has not been on the disabled list in 10 major league seasons.

“My goal is to get as good as I can get, be healthy, 100% and help this ballclub in the future,” Hoffman said Tuesday. “I’ve got the support of the organization, a lot of well-wishers. People coming up and telling you they know you can do it, that means something.”

Hoffman has been in pain since Oct. 16 surgery to repair a tear in his rotator cuff and fraying of cartilage in the shoulder.

An MRI exam Friday in San Diego revealed no further damage to the rotator cuff, but Hoffman has arthritic degeneration of his collarbone. Doctors will shave the edge of the collarbone in an attempt to reduce irritation and give the rotator cuff tendons more room.

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Pitcher Luke Prokopec was put on the 60-day disabled list by the Cincinnati Reds, who claimed Boston infielder Dernell Stenson off waivers.

The Reds took Prokopec from the Dodgers in December’s winter-meeting draft. The right-hander had arthroscopic surgery Sept. 18 to repair the torn labrum in his pitching shoulder.

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Seats on top of the Green Monster will be on sale for the first time Saturday.

The section atop Fenway Park’s left-field wall is scheduled to open April 29 against Kansas City, the start of Boston’s second homestand of the season. The section will add 280 seats, plus standing room, on top of the 37-foot-high wall. The seats cost $50 each. Standing room tickets cost $20.

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Infielder Jose Offerman agreed to a minor league contract with Montreal.... Third baseman Dave Hollins, who spent most of last season on Philadelphia’s disabled list, signed a minor league contract with the Phillies.