Ortiz Injures Heel, MRI On Tuesday
BOSTON (CBS) - Just as the Red Sox lineup was getting injured star players back, another one may be down for a bit.
David Ortiz suffered a right Achilles injury in Monday night's 5-1 win over the White Sox while rounding second base on an eighth-inning home run by Adrian Gonzalez, and will likely be sidelined over the next few days.
Ortiz will undergo an MRI on Tuesday. He sounded confident in the Red Sox locker room Monday night that he won't be missing much time.
"I think I'll be all right," he said after the game. "I got sore but I didn't hear a pop."
"I iced it, so it wasn't as bad as it was," said Ortiz.
Playing without star players is nothing new for Boston this year. They just recently got Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford back in the lineup, and manager Bobby Valentine said they should be able to survive without Ortiz for a short period of time.
View: Red Sox Injury List
"We've been playing short all year; no need to start anything new now," said Valentine. "We're prepared for it. We're battle-ready."
The Sox manager, who explained that Ortiz was hustling on the play since he was not sure if Gonzalez' hit would leave the park, is confident that the injury will only sideline the team's offensive leader for just a few days.
"David's a little upset and a little sore, but it doesn't look like he pulled anything or tore anything. It's probably going to be some days, though," he said. "We're not going to lose him for long, it doesn't look like,"
But losing Ortiz for any stretch will hurt the Red Sox. Ortiz has been Boston's best hitter this season, leading the team in nearly every offensive category including average (.316), home runs (23), RBI (44) and hits (101).
Prior to leaving Monday night's game, Ortiz recorded a single and a walk, making it 10 straight games he's collected at least one hit and one walk -- a new Red Sox record.
Ortiz is currently riding an 11-game hitting streak.
