Boston, MA – Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz said that he hopes to miss "no more than a week" while recovering from bursitis, a condition that has created significant pain in the region above his right heel and below the Achilles.
The slugger said he was feeling better Wednesday than he did on Tuesday, when pain while running forced him out of the lineup prior to the first game of a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The 35-year-old said he first experienced discomfort during Sunday's game against the Mariners. He took anti-inflammatories, and an off-day on Monday allowed him to feel better, but by Tuesday he was unable to run.
"I was feeling better right after I came out of there. But it was an in-the- moment thing, I guess," said Ortiz. "We're just working on it. The doctor wants me to rest for three to four days."
Ortiz characterized the condition as "very painful" and suggested that he feels it when walking, running or hitting. He is wearing an immobilizing boot on his foot to restrict movement for the next few days.
Despite the discomfort, Ortiz said that he has been reassured by doctors that the bursitis can be eliminated with rest, and that it won't be a recurrent condition.
"The doctor said it's pretty normal in people that exercise and things like that. They deal with that every day," said Ortiz. "It's not like I have an Achilles problem or anything. It's just aggravation from running and doing all that kind of stuff."
Ortiz suggested that he expects to be playing again before the conclusion of Boston's eight-game road trip to Kansas City and Texas.
"I think I'll be playing by the end of the road trip hopefully," said Ortiz. "I'm looking forward to that."
Ortiz is hitting .300 with a .388 on-base percentage and a team-leading 24 homers this season.
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