Red Sox DH Ortiz to begin rehab next week

Jul 12, 2008 - 10:03 PM By Mike Petraglia PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox have set a timetable for the return of slugger David Ortiz.

Following a successful session in the batting cage Friday against a machine at high velocity, Ortiz was cleared for a six-game minor league rehab stint beginning next Thursday at Class AAA Pawtucket.

After another three games at Class AA Portland, Ortiz is slated to return to Boston's lineup on July 25 for the opener of a weekend series against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park.

"He feels good," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said in making the announcement. "He's pretty excited about things."

"I feel good," added Ortiz, who injured the sheath covering a tendon in his left wrist on May 31. "Actually, it was my first time hitting off the machine. I was acting like I normally do, locating, check swing, swing and a miss. Stuff like that. Everything was fine. That's all I need. Make sure there's no pain when I'm doing that."

Francona said the batting cage session against a machine was a key factor in the team's decision.

"David did well," Francona said. "He did the machine, tried to simulate as much as he could, ball down and away, ball up and in. He'll go with us to New York Monday and Tuesday and hit in the cage because he has some obligations as the guy who got the most (All-Star) votes to be there to represent the American League and the Red Sox."

Ortiz was hitting .252 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 54 games before the injury.

"If everything is going OK, we can turn him loose," Francona said. "Three days in Pawtucket, a down day, then maybe three more days in Double-A where he didn't have to travel, have a day off in between, then meet us when we come back from that road trip. That's not etched in stone, but that's what we're looking at."

Ortiz did say he still is dealing with residual pain.

"Sometimes I get a little sore, but it's not the sore that bothers me to play," Ortiz said. "Hopefully, when we start facing speed and things like that, I'll feel the same way I feel when I'm hitting. That's good enough for me."