Boston’s Kevin Youkilis to miss rest of the season with thumb injury

The Boston Red Sox have lost Kevin Youkilis for the season with a torn muscle in his right thumb.

Manager Terry Francona said Thursday that the first baseman will have season-ending surgery Friday in Cleveland for the injury, sustained Monday night in a 6-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

Youkilis is expected to be ready to return well before spring training starts.

The injury is the latest in a long line of them suffered by Boston. Batting fourth in the lineup for most of the season, Youkilis is hitting .307 with 19 home runs and 62 runs batted in. Francona said Mike Lowell, who came off the disabled list when Youkilis went on it Tuesday, is expected to play at least four of the next five games at first base.

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The Texas Rangers exited federal bankruptcy protection Thursday, a little more than 12 hours after Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan’s group bought the team at a marathon auction. The Thursday afternoon ruling by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stacey Jernigan clears the way for Major League Baseball to formally approve Ryan and sports attorney Chuck Greenberg as the team’s new owners next week.

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Washington Nationals rookie Stephen Strasburg made it through his simulated game without any problems and appears to be ready to rejoin the rotation Tuesday against Atlanta. The right-hander threw 43 pitches before Thursday’s game against Arizona and reported no stiffness in the shoulder that sent him to the disabled list last week. …

Atlanta Braves pitcher Kris Medlen was put on the 15-day disabled list with a partially torn ligament in his right elbow that could require reconstructive surgery. Braves team doctors said they would wait a couple of weeks for the swelling and pain to subside before deciding on a course of action. Either Medlen will go through a period of rehabilitation or have Tommy John surgery, which appears likely. Recovery from the surgery generally takes one year.

Medlen, who is 6-2 with a 3.68 earned-run average, left his start Wednesday against the New York Mets in the fifth inning. …

Indians catcher Carlos Santana is set to have surgery on his injured left knee and will miss the rest of the season. He was hurt Monday in a plate collision with Boston’s Ryan Kalish. …

The Colorado Rockies put pitcher Aaron Cook on the 15-day disabled list with turf toe in his right foot. Cook is 4-8 with a 5.34 ERA in 21 starts. …

Pedro Martinez, 38, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, said he has been contacted by several teams to pitch this season but said he has declined all invitations. …

The Florida Marlins signed free-agent third baseman Chad Tracy. Tracy batted .250 with five RBIs in 28 games with the Chicago Cubs this season and also spent time on the New York Yankees’ roster before being released.