DETROIT — Travis Hafner’s return to big-league action will be later rather than sooner.

The pace of Hafner’s rehab from his right shoulder problem has been slowed.

“It was his thought that he could use more time developing his endurance or foundation by working in the cage and progressing through (batting practice), as opposed to game situations,” Indians Head Athletic Trainer Lonnie Soloff said Wednesday.

Hafner, who has played in four rehab games, worked on the side Tuesday and Wednesday with the hope of DHing tonight for Triple-A Buffalo. Soloff indicated that Hafner is struggling with the process of warming up and then maintaining through the stop-and-go nature of games.

Before he started rehab games, Hafner would do his work in the cage, take BP and be done. Now he does that same work, waits two hours for the game, gets an at-bat, sits another half hour, then bats again.

“It’s definitely a progression for him,” Soloff said. “As a result of that, he’s experiencing some soreness there, nothing that is concerning for us or Travis at this point. I just think we’re kind of taking his lead on what he feels at this point is best to get him back to baseball activities as expeditiously as possible.”

The Indians still hope to have Hafner play in major-league games this season. He’s been on the disabled list since May 30.

“Our internal goal by the end of the season is that both Travis and the organization can have some confidence that he’ll enter the offseason with his shoulder injury behind him,” Soloff said.

n LaPORTA UPDATE — Matt LaPorta was examined Wednesday at the Cleveland Clinic and cleared for baseball activities after suffering a concussion during the Olympics. LaPorta, the prized slugger the Indians received in the CC Sabathia trade, was cleared before by doctors in China. But the Indians never received documentation of it. So to be on the safe side, they had LaPorta looked at. He should be ready for game action on Friday with Double-AA Akron.

n GETTING WELL — Another of the Tribe’s top prospects is on the comeback trail. RHP Adam Miller, who had middle finger ligament surgery on his throwing hand in June, has progressed to throwing fastball-changeup bullpen sessions and will be at Progressive Field on Tuesday to work in front of the Indians staff. Miller is tentatively scheduled for a simulated game on Sept. 5 at Akron. He’ll stay with Akron but not be activated, then go to the Arizona Instructional League, which starts Sept. 17. No decisions have been made on whether Miller will play winter ball.

n NICE JOB — Akron 3B Wes Hodges is the Eastern League Rookie of the Year. Hodges, a 2006 second-round draft pick, entered Wednesday batting .285 with 16 home runs and 91 RBI. He, INF Beau Mills, INF Josh Rodriguez, LHP Chuck Lofgren, LHP Tony Sipp and RHP Erik Stiller will participate in the Arizona Fall League starting Oct. 7.

n SO LONG — Buffalo is set to host its final home game as an Indians’ affiliate tonight against Scranton. The Bisons have been part of the Indians organization for 14 years. LHP David Huff (5-4, 2.97) will face Yankees LHP Chase Wright (2-0, 2.05). Look for a mid-September announcement on the Indians’ new Triple-A affiliate.

n THIS AND THAT — Manager Eric Wedge might go to a six-man rotation in September to get looks at more pitchers. But that won’t likely affect Cliff Lee’s turn in the rotation. “It’s safe to say, out of respect for Cliff, we’ve got to keep him either on his day or close to his day,” Wedge said. ... The Indians are off today before starting a three-game series against Seattle at Progressive Field on Friday.