Middlebrooks will not play winter-league baseball this offseason in order to rest his hand, WEEI's Alex Speier reports. Missing out on more practice time is another cost of Middlebrooks' hand injury. Middlebrooks has a large host of talent breathing down his neck at third base for the future, with Xander Bogaerts and Brock Holt able to shift over to the hot corner and prized prospect Garin Cecchini making a strong debut in September.