Big Papi Will Be Back Tuesday in Boston

SEATTLE -- The Boston Red Sox moved on temporarily without their most productive and most popular player during their glory years, David Ortiz, but he will return Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays, according to manager Terry Francona.

Big Papi has taken a back seat -- almost literally -- this weekend at Safeco Field, watching his teammates split the first two games of a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners. Francona said before Sunday's finale that Ortiz, batting a putrid .208 with no homers and 15 RBIs in 130 at-bats, will be in Tuesday's starting lineup against Toronto. His slugging percentage is .300, 74 points less than Jacoby Ellsbury. Ortiz sunk to perhaps a career low when he went 0-for-7 with 12 runners left on base in a 5-4, 12-inning loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday.

Big Papi hasn't spoken to the media since then, although his demeanor is more positive than following that Thursday game. On Sunday, he greeted reporters with head nods and good mornings but still declined to speak on the record. He hasn't done much speaking to his manager either, but Francona has chosen to allow Ortiz a mental break as he endured a potentially career-defining slump.

"I don't know, I want to talk to him," Francona said Sunday morning when asked whether Ortiz would return to his customary third spot in the batting order Tuesday. "I haven't wanted to talk to him yet; I wanted to give him some room."

Francona is banking that the weekend off will serve as a salve.

"He's ok; he's stepped back," the manager said. "You never know (if the break will work) until the game starts."

Ortiz spent Sunday morning taking swings in the cage at Safeco Field and during the past two games has occupied the top step of the Boston dugout watching the action.

The Red Sox also received some good news as first baseman Kevin Youkilis returned to Boston on Saturday night and is expected to begin his rehabilitation assignment Monday for Triple-A Pawtucket. Youkilis has been sidelined since May 5 with a left oblique strain.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

5-17-2009 @ 5:39PM

papam11 said...

The Sox have a real problem this year. They are NOT a clutch hitting team. They're playing "MANYBALL". That is, leaving too many people on base during a game. Or watching too many pitches go by for strikes. It's been 2 on and 1 out or 3 on and 1-2 outs--and NO RUNS. The Sox just had 3 on and NO OUTS in the 5th inning in Seattle--and didn't get a single run in. What else is new. Mike Lowell doesn't take the bat off his shoulder til after the first called strike---every time. Yup, instead of driving the opposing pitcher out of the game by scoring runs, they're playing "pitch count" baseball instead of being aggressive and it ain't working.

5-17-2009 @ 6:26PM

broinvt said...

The loss of Manny is screwing Papi. We ALL know that. It's easy to Manny bash these days but he was the offense of that team. I guess Papi lost his "supply" when Manny left.
2004 & 2007 World Series Champions*

5-17-2009 @ 6:50PM

fc4u2do said...

THE ALL NEW ;;;;BALCO BOSOX.

5-17-2009 @ 7:27PM

Brian said...

I guess Big Papi is detoxing from the streroids. But he doesn't have to worry as long as he is on the Red Sox. After all, according to the (Red Sox Board Member) Mitchell report, the Red Sox do not have a steroid problem. It's when they leave the Red Sox (Gagne, JC Romero, and Manny Ramirez) that they start doing the roids!

5-17-2009 @ 8:21PM

sandytarrdesign said...

As a Rays fan I could care less but the envy of the NY fans is so obvious. The Yankees haven't won the big game in a decade dispite their huge payroll
(largest in MLB). And talking about roids when they are sitting there with A-Roid and Andy (he only did it once)Pettitte and have enjoyed the services of juicin' Giambi and Roid-Rage Roger is laughable. All that said the story of Ortiz is yet to be told and could have some roid use in it.

5-17-2009 @ 9:31PM

Nelson said...

you bunch of whining cry babies, take it like a man. No one has any sympathy. Look at what happened to the Evil empire. Who gives a hsit. Only Yankees fan care. You big ufcking cry babies. Yankees and Dodgers. Yanks in 4 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha