David Ortiz hopes to return in a week or so after resting his sore right heel, he told reporters at Fenway Park on Wednesday.
The Red Sox designated hitter, who was diagnosed Tuesday with right heel bursitis, has been fitted with a walking boot. He is hoping to see game action at or near the end of the team's upcoming eight-game road trip through Kansas City and Texas.
"It's not a good feeling. It's like very painful," Ortiz told reporters. "We're just working on it. The doctor wants me to rest for three or four days."
The heel was bothering Ortiz on the six-game road trip last week. During pregame warm-ups Tuesday, he felt it grabbing at him, according to manager Terry Francona, and Ortiz was a late scratch. A closer examination revealed the true nature of the injury.
Francona said Tuesday night it would not require a stint on the disabled list. Ortiz went into more detail Wednesday in terms of what he is dealing with.
"The doctor said it's pretty normal in people that exercise and things like that. They deal with that every day," Ortiz said. "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 was on fire when the ailment cropped up. He was 11-for-22 (.500) with three home runs on the road trip. In his absence, Francona plans to rotate his designated hitter, installing players in that role when he thinks they need a rest.
When Ortiz was suspended for three games last month, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez each got a turn in that role. Jed Lowrie made his first career start as a DH in Tuesday's day game, followed by Crawford in the finale. Gonzalez is the DH for the matinee Wednesday.
"That's what we'll certainly do," Francona said of the rotating DH.
