BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez became the latest member of banged-up Boston to land on the disabled list.

The injury-riddled Red Sox placed Martinez on the DL on Tuesday because of a broken left thumb and selected catcher Gustavo Molina from Triple-A Pawtucket to replace him.

Martinez sustained a minimally displaced break at the tip of the thumb Sunday during a game in San Francisco. Boston hopes Martinez will return after 15 days and miss only 11 games. Red Sox captain Jason Varitek will start at catcher while Martinez is out.

Martinez joins teammates Dustin Pedroia (broken foot), Josh Beckett (back), Jacoby Ellsbury (ribs), Mike Lowell (hip), Jeremy Hermida (ribs) and Jed Lowrie (mononucleosis) on the disabled list.

In other injury news, right-hander Clay Buchholz — who strained his left hamstring while running the bases on Saturday — hopes to pitch next Monday or Tuesday. Center fielder Mike Cameron is playing despite pain from an abdominal injury.

Even with all the injury woes, the Red Sox entered Tuesday night’s home game against Tampa Bay only two games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East.

Boston manager Terry Francona said he hasn’t developed any thoughts of despair.

“I don’t feel that way,” he said. “Whatever happens happens. That’s part of the game. We’re coming off a couple of good wins (in San Francisco) and we’ve done a terrific job. The guys are banding together and the energy in our dugout been unbelievable, and on the field. We’re more fixated on that as opposed to the, ‘Woe is me.’ It’s, ‘OK, how are we going to win?’

“Guys have done a great job, so there’s no reason for me to fret because our players don’t seem to be … we have good players and some of them are hurt. It makes your margin for error a little bit smaller, so hopefully we won’t make errors.”

Utility man Eric Patterson, acquired in a trade with Oakland on Monday, joined the team and was in uniform Tuesday night. Right-hander Boof Bonser, who was designated for assignment on June 18, cleared waivers on Monday and chose to become a free agent.