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BOSTON -- Greetings from the Edes cave, where we start the day with a few notes, quotes and gloats on the state of the Sox, the team with the best record in baseball (18-7) as they prepare to embark on a six-game trip to Toronto and Texas:

* David Ortiz missed all of spring training and played just six games on a rehab assignment for Pawtucket, batting .222 (4 for 18), which makes his performance since returning to the Sox beyond rational explanation. Here is how Ortiz compared with his big-league peers over the same span since returning to the Sox lineup on April 20.

-- Only Nate McLouth of the Orioles had a higher batting average, .517 to .516.

-- He had 16 hits, a number matched only by Manny Machado of the Orioles.

-- His .871 slugging percentage was the highest in the American League.

-- Only Nelson Cruz of the Rangers, with 13 RBIs, had more than Ortiz, who tied with Ryan Howard of the Phillies with 11.

-- Only Josh Donaldson of the Athletics (7) and Sox teammate Mike Napoli (6) had more doubles than Ortiz (5).

-- Only McLouth (.611) and Donaldson (.576) had a higher on-base average in the AL than Ortiz (.529).

* Hope has not yet expired in Toronto, but it is definitely on the critical list. The Blue Jays, after an extreme roster makeover this winter, were a popular choice to win the American League East, but instead are eight games under .500, have a 9-17 record that is better only than Houston in the AL, and are already 9 ½ games behind the Sox in the division.

The Jays were just swept four straight by the Yankees in New York, and at the moment the month ranks as the second worst April in franchise history. They are returning home after a 1-6 trip against the Orioles and Yankees in which they scored just 23 runs, barely more than three runs a game. They’ve scored three runs or fewer in 15 of their 26 games.

The team took a huge hit when Jose Reyes, who was counted upon to be a transformative force at the top of their lineup, severely sprained his left ankle and is expected to miss at least three months. The two pitchers who came with Reyes from Miami, Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson, both have ERAs over 6, and the oft-injured Johnson already has missed a start and underwent an MRI because of tightness in his right triceps. The team’s other big acquisition, R.A. Dickey, the 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner, has 2 wins and a 4.50 ERA in his first six starts, and he is expected to undergo an MRI this week to determine the cause of tightness in his upper neck and back.

It’s not just the newcomers who are struggling. Slugger Jose Bautista has 7 home runs but is batting .192 overall with 11 RBIs. And closer Sergio Santos is on the DL with a strained triceps.

On the Sox first visit to Toronto, crowds of 40,000-plus booed Boston manager John Farrell mercilessly, their ill humor made worse when the Sox took two out of three. That was on a weekend. This will be a midweek series, which will mean smaller crowds, and it will be interesting to see if Farrell will be on the receiving end of even more bile, or whether Jays fans will revert to their default mode, apathy.

“It’s going to get better and I still expect us to be a contending team,” Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos told reporters Sunday.

His optimism isn’t shared by many at this stage.

* When the Sox returned home from Cleveland April 18, they held a 2 ½ game lead over the Yankees in the division. Even after winning 7 out 10 on this homestand, the lead remains the same. Other than the Jays, who went 2-8 over that span, Boston’s other division rivals -- the Yankees, Orioles and Rays -- also went 7-3.

The Yankees, of course, have defied all the prophets who forecast doom because of their rash of injuries and advancing age. They’ve won with pickups like Travis Hafner, who has a 1.118 OPS, Vernon Wells (.911 OPS) and Lyle Overbay, a late-spring discard by the Sox, and with the likes of Ben Francisco serving as DH. Eight of the last nine Yankee wins have been by either one or two runs, and now they get their crack at the woeful Astros, who left Boston for three games in the Bronx.

* Jacoby Ellsbury has already set career highs for April in hits (30), steals (11) , and total bases (45), and his 18 runs are within two of his career high with one game left in the month. He has just one home run (1), which lends support to those who argue that his 32 home runs in 2011 were an anomaly, but let’s withhold judgment on that. He had four home runs in April 2011, so it’s possible the power stroke can still come.

* Dustin Pedroia is ending the month on a definite upswing, posting a .361/.477.472/.949 line on the homestand, with four doubles in the last five games. And after a decidedly un-Pedroialike 15 K’s in a span of 11 games, Pedroia whiffed just once during the 10-game homestand.

* The Sox have lost back-to-back games twice all season. In their last 32 games of 2012, they won back-to-back games only twice.

* The Sox are 4-2 in one-run games this season, and 6-2 in blowouts (games decided by five runs or more).

* Mike Napoli returns this weekend to Texas, where he played two seasons and was an integral part of the Rangers team that went to the World Series in 2011. He expects a far different reception than the one Rangers fans accorded former star Josh Hamilton, who was booed without letup when he returned with the Angels. “I don’t think they’ll boo me," he said with a grin.

Napoli leads the majors with 13 doubles and 18 extra-base hits.

* Ortiz told two news outlets Sunday that he and his wife, Tiffany, are filing for divorce. The couple has three children.

BOSTON -- Some quick hits from Fenway Park on Tuesday afternoon:

* Despite the miserable conditions, manager John Farrell expects the Red Sox and Athletics will play Tuesday night.

* David Ortiz is not in the lineup but is not hurt, the manager said. Farrell said he was planning to give Ortiz the night off, a decision made easier by the lousy conditions. The Sox have not placed any limitations on Ortiz as far as sliding, despite what looked like an awkward arrival into second base on his second-inning double Monday night. Ortiz had a good read on the play in left-center, Farrell said, and while the play was close, correctly determined a slide was unnecessary.

* John Lackey came out of his rehab appearance in Portland with the normal arm stiffness pitchers have after a start, Farrell said. Lackey is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Thursday and, if all goes well, will make another start Sunday, either a rehab assignment or for the Sox. Farrell said he hopes it is for the Sox, but that decision will not come until after the Sox see how Lackey is Thursday. A wise guy might say that since the Sox are facing Houston (5-14) on Sunday, that would be tantamount to another minor league start, anyway.

Lackey went 3 2/3 scoreless innings for Double-A Portland on Monday night, throwing 67 pitches, 45 for strikes. He struck out five and walked two, allowing three hits.

* Jacoby Ellsbury has nine stolen bases and has yet to be caught this season. One more stolen base, and he will have tied his club record for steals in the month of April. He stole 10 in April 2009, the year he stole a club-record 70 bags.

Ellsbury also takes a 12-game hitting streak into Tuesday night’s game. That’s tied for the longest in the American League this season. Ellsbury has three multihit games during the streak, in which he is batting .308 (16-for-52), his overall average standing at .294.

* With their 9-6 win over Oakland on Monday, the Sox have won the first game of each of their first seven series this season. The last time the Sox did that was in 1917, according to STATS, Inc.

* The Sox are 10-0 when they score first. Only the Yankees are also undefeated (7-0) in games in which they score first.

* Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday night in Portland.

* With Andrew Bailey having pitched each of the past three days and five of the past six, Farrell said he hopes to avoid using him to close Tuesday night. Koji Uehara is a likely option.

BOSTON -- The ever-loquacious David Ortiz identified himself Sunday afternoon as “David Ichiro Ortiz.” He talked about being a singles hitter. He talked about not quite being 100 percent physically. He talked about his cuss word heard ‘round the world. He said it all sincerely.

Just as Saturday, he might as well have said it all in a Boston accent.

Of all the moments in a week filled with indelible images, Ortiz somehow found his way into the middle of it all, ending an eight-month hiatus from donning a Boston uniform and dispelling any doubt that either he or his city are going anywhere with the flap of his lips on Saturday. Ortiz’s sentiment, spit into a microphone with the gusto of a rapper engaged in a battle of rhymes, evaded the wrath of the Federal Communications Commission. In fact, FCC chairman Julius Genachowski on Saturday sent out a tongue-in-cheek tweet: "David Ortiz spoke from the heart at today's Red Sox game. I stand with Big Papi and the people of Boston - Julius"

But more than that, Ortiz has let his bat do some yakking. After going 2-for-4 in his 2013 debut, the designated hitter followed with a 3-for-4 showing in Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. He drove in runs during both games, including the go-ahead run on Saturday.

What’s more, Ortiz also legged out his first extra-base hit of the season on Sunday, shooting one down the line and into the right-field corner. By the time Jeff Francoeur fished it out by Pesky’s Pole, Ortiz went sliding into second. His foot speed around the basepaths -- well, you know how that is. He ran exactly how you’d expect a 37-year-old slugger with two bum Achilles to run.

His following act was advancing to third on a Mike Napoli fly out to right. Ortiz hit the bag standing -- and to a near standing O.

“I don’t feel the way I’d like to feel,” Ortiz said after Sunday afternoon’s 4-2 loss to the Royals. “I’m just getting to the point where you have to mentally just deal with the issues I had last year and just get to the point where I’m 100 percent.”

Despite the self-appointed moniker, Ortiz isn’t about to assume the identity of a table setter. But he cautioned that he's still a work in progress. Ortiz, who immediately was slotted back into the clean-up role, did not start Game 2 of the doubleheader. He was available to pinch hit in the nightcap but did not come off the bench.

“I’m not trying to do too much,” Ortiz said. “I wasn’t facing pitching for eight months and I’m not going to lie to you, I don’t feel comfortable.”

At several times during the exchange with reporters, Ortiz repeated, “I’m not quite there yet.”

But for whatever Ortiz may or may not be at this juncture, it is welcomed.

He spoke about the reaction he’s received following yesterday’s pointed profanity.

“A lot of positive comments,” he added.

Ortiz was not defensive about what he said; he remained assertive.

“What we went through this week, that’s what I was feeling.”

Elsewhere in Boston on Sunday, officials announced plans to reopen portions of Boylston Street, which have been closed for nearly a week as an active crime scene. Before Sunday’s first game, a bomb-sniffing K9 unit did a sweep of the Red Sox clubhouse.

Like Ortiz, we’re not quite there yet. But at least we’re back.

Manny Acta and John Kruk discuss the impact David Ortiz's return will have on the Red Sox's lineup. Ortiz is expected to be back for this weekend's series with the Royals.

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Less than an hour after completing his third minor league rehab game with the Pawtucket Red Sox, Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz sat down to have lunch in the home clubhouse at McCoy Stadium.

He crossed his hands, put his head down and prayed.

Ortiz prayed for all those affected by the tragic events Monday on Boylston Street in Boston, where two explosions crippled the city in the midst of Marathon Monday.

“I always thank God for everything,” Ortiz said. “I pray for a lot of things, but at this moment everybody’s got to keep their prayers for those families that struggle, and it’s going to take them a long time to recover for that, and for all those people who are injured to get back to normal, and to our country to stay together.

“Worldwide, yesterday, all eyes were on Boston and that’s what makes this country the best country in the world, how people stay together when times of struggle show up.”

Ortiz hasn’t played in a big league game since Aug. 24, 2012 due to right Achilles tendinopathy. He is on track to possibly return to the lineup Friday, but on Monday his rehab became secondary.

“Horrible, man. Horrible,” he said. “It’s the kind of situation, it hurts. It hurts. This is a beautiful nation right here, especially Patriots Day and we have that beautiful marathon every year. I’ve been in Boston for the past 11, 12 years and there’s not one human being in Boston on a day like yesterday that doesn’t get related to the marathon. Everybody wants to do something that connects you to something that can help with the marathon. Because we all know what everybody’s trying to do -- raise money for charities to help out people. Seeing what went down yesterday in Boston just hurts.

“Last night I had problems sleeping just thinking about it. This morning I woke up and was watching the news and I heard about this 8-year-old kid at the finish line dying. That devastates me.”

Ortiz is talking about Martin Richard, the 8-year-old boy from Dorchester, Mass., who died in the explosion while watching the race with his parents and siblings. His mother and sister were also badly injured.

Ortiz’s 8-year-old son, D'Angelo, is a fixture at Fenway Park during the season. He’s a well-respected boy in the clubhouse and is always at his father’s side. Since it’s school vacation, DeAngelo is in Cape Cod with a family friend. Ortiz’s wife, Tiffany, and their daughter, Alex, are both away on a UNICEF mission.

“Last night, when I was watching the news, I definitely called all of them,” Ortiz said. “I heard my son’s voice on the phone, and man, just thinking about how that went down, listening about this 8-year-old kid. My son is eight right now, it was just devastating. I got very emotional.”

Since he’s been home by himself and focused on his rehab, Ortiz had plenty of time to think about his family.

“It’s something that I put myself in the same place and it’s horrible, horrible. This is a beautiful nation and our president needs to get to the bottom of this and make sure this country goes back to what it’s always been, a safe place to be and where everybody wants to be and a happy place just like all of us know.”

Even though his son is 8, Ortiz explained the situation to him.

“Yeah, he knows and he was concerned,” Ortiz said. “They know and they get concerned about it, especially when they hear somebody their age gets hurt.”

Ortiz, who became a U.S. citizen in 2008 and lives year round in Boston, received a number of calls and texts from family and friends in his native Dominican Republic, asking him about the events.

“My phone didn’t stop yesterday,” he said.

Ortiz was in downtown Boston on Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. before he drove to McCoy Stadium to prepare for another minor-league rehab game. He was sitting in the PawSox’s clubhouse when the bombs exploded on Boylston Street.

“Once the news starts kicking in, and you start seeing how everything was going down, everybody was in shock,” Ortiz said.

“It was pretty bad. It’s going to take us some time to recover from that. But the one thing that I want to tell everyone is to just stay together. This is a tough time that everybody needs to stay together. Yesterday, it was, a big example of what this country is all about. That thing went off and you see nothing but everybody helping out each other. That’s why God bless America.”

BOSTON -- David Ortiz, who was scheduled to bat third and serve as DH for Pawtucket Sunday afternoon, was a late scratch due to illness.

Ortiz, who is 3-for-7 in two games with the PawSox, was rained out of a game Friday and played just one of two games in Saturday's doubleheader.

PawSox publicist Bill Wanless said Ortiz was still in the clubhouse after the game started.

David Ortiz went 1-for-4 in his second rehab game with Triple-A Pawtucket and had plenty of opportunity to test his recovering right heel.

In a 7-1 win over Rochester at McCoy Stadium, Ortiz lined to first in the bottom of the first, struck out swinging in the third, popped out in the fifth and singled in a pair of runs in the sixth. He then advanced to second on a fly to center off the bat of Ryan Lavarnway and scored on Drew Sutton's base hit to right.

According to ESPNBoston.com's Joe McDonald, Ortiz struggled a bit rounding third and did not speak with reporters after the game.

Red Sox manager John Farrell said the report he got was a good one.

"Yeah, 1-for-4, ran the bases well, slid into second base," said Farrell, who indicated that Ortiz is still scheduled to play again Sunday.

BOSTON -- One of the first sights at Fenway Park on Saturday morning was Felix Doubront going through a two-inning simulated game under gray skies and in temperatures hovering in the high 30s.

Meanwhile, several other Red Sox players were making progress independent of the team's first meeting with the Tampa Bay Rays later in the day.

Manager John Farrell said that designated hitter David Ortiz will get three or four at-bats in the first half of a doubleheader for Pawtucket on Saturday. Ortiz went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a strikeout in his first rehab game Thursday night.

Franklin Morales threw two innings in an extended spring training game Friday and is due for one more outing in Florida before going out on a rehab assignment, which likely includes one start at Portland and another with the PawSox.

Farrell said that Morales has had no further issues with the back strain that has kept him on the sidelines and it is just a matter of building back the arm strength for one of the organizations' top depth options at starting pitcher. Morales, who was 3-3 with a 4.14 ERA in nine starts with Boston last season, will eventually get up to a pitch count of 85 to 90.

"If the need is here we will have the ability to recall him at that point, provided there are no setbacks," Farrell said. "That's the range that we definitely want to get him to."

There is always the chance that the need will be greater in the bullpen, where Morales has spent the bulk of his career. If that is the case, the club will pick its spots with the hard-throwing left-hander.

"If he does come back to the bullpen, ideally we'll start him out with some clean innings before just running him into situations where there are men on base, that type of thing," Farrell added. "We'll see how that unfolds."

While Morales nears a return, John Lackey is closer to testing his injured right biceps.

"We're hopeful to put a ball back in his hand in the next couple of days," Farrell said. "There's decreasing symptoms, the tightness that he felt is gradually going away. I don't know that we have a template that we're going to follow with this one, but certainly how he feels is the most important guide in all this."

Lackey was placed on the disabled list retroactive to April 7 after leaving his start the day before with a strained biceps. An MRI revealed no tear, but the club will take a cautious approach on Lackey, who missed all of 2011 following Tommy John surgery.

"We'll need to test him just so that when he walks to the mound he's aware and he's confident that there's nothing structurally holding him back," Farrell said when asked if Lackey will be making rehab starts before returning to the big club.

Additionally, left-handed reliever Craig Breslow is scheduled to throw one more simulated game before getting his first taste of game action Tuesday in extended spring training. With Morales sidelined and Andrew Miller, the lone lefty in the bullpen, struggling a bit so far this season, Breslow's road to recovery from left shoulder tendinitis is important for the overall stability of the pitching staff, even though Breslow has never been a situational left-hander.

Miller has allowed the first man to reach in three of his four appearances this season.

Doubront was originally scheduled to start Friday's series-opener, which was postponed. He got through the simulation with no issues and remains on target to make his second start of the season Tuesday in Cleveland. That will be his first outing in 10 days.

"It served the purpose that we were intending, and that's to get him some work and keep him as sharp as we can," Farrell said.

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- When the Boston Red Sox signed veteran shortstop Stephen Drew during the offseason, prospect Jose Iglesias knew he would be playing at Triple-A Pawtucket during the 2013 season.

It really didn't matter how well he played during spring training, because as long as Drew was healthy, Iglesias would not be the starting shortstop. That plan changed when Drew suffered a concussion during spring training and landed on the disabled list. Plus, Iglesias did play well during the Grapefruit League season, so with Drew sidelined, Iglesias made the Opening Day roster and started at shortstop.

However, Drew was activated from the seven-day DL prior to Wednesday's game, and Iglesias was optioned to Pawtucket.

"I was disappointed, but it's out of my control," Iglesias said. "All I can do is come to the field, be a better player, take extra BP, learn something every day and be a better player. When I get another opportunity, I will be better that time."

Iglesias' two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning helped the PawSox to a 5-4 win over the Rochester Red Wings on Thursday night at McCoy Stadium.

"Fun," he said of his first home run of the season. "It was a good pitch in and I was able stay inside the ball and hit a homer for the team. It was fun."

He finished the night 1-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

"I'm going to come here and give 100 percent every single day," he said. "I'm going to take extra BP and I'm going to get better every single day."

Iglesias went 9-for-20 (.450) with two doubles and one RBI with three strikeouts in six games for the Red Sox.

"It was hard to leave the team, but I had a good time," he said. "My first Opening Day in the big leagues, it was exciting. It was fun to win; we won a lot of games when I was there. I enjoyed it and it was great to be there."

Red Sox manager John Farrell told Iglesias during the Sox's off day on Tuesday that he was being optioned. The PawSox concluded their first road trip of the season at Lehigh Valley Wednesday and returned to McCoy Stadium early Thursday morning. While PawSox manager Gary DiSarcina allowed the players to arrive to the ballpark a little later than normal, Iglesias was already here and going about his normal routine.

"He took the news about coming down very professionally," DiSarcina said. "He's had a great attitude since he walked through the door. The point of emphasis is to get him the hell out of here and get him back up there. That's the ultimate goal; we don't want these guys down here. Every now and then in baseball things happen. He performed really well up there, Stephen came back and that's the way the game is. I just want him to maintain and grow as a player."

When the clubhouse opened to the media, Iglesias was eating lunch with Red Sox veteran David Ortiz, who began his minor league rehab stint with the PawSox on Thursday. Ortiz has been a mentor ever since Iglesias signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2009. For Iglesias, and the Boston Red Sox, it was good timing to have Ortiz here in order to help the prospect understand the situation and make sure he handles it properly.

"Iggy is like a son to me," Ortiz said. "Man, I'm old. I always talk to him, and I always let him know how hard this game goes. Sometimes this situation is going to happen, you've got options and the team's got to make a move. What you've got to do is come down here, keep on working hard and the minute the team has the opportunity to need somebody, they'll call you up. But you've got to keep in mind that you've got to come here and bust your tail just like you were doing in the big leagues and everything's going to come true easier."

Iglesias finally proved he can handle the big league level during the small sample size this season, but he'll need to continue that progress with the PawSox until he gets another opportunity in Boston.

"I've got a better idea with what I need to do in the field, that's the bottom line," he said. "I grow as a player and a person every day, every year. I feel ready what I need to do."

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Thursday was the first time David Ortiz stepped into the batter's box since Aug. 24. Ortiz went 2-for-3 with an RBI, run scored and a strikeout to help the PawSox to a 5-4 win over the Rochester Red Wings on Thursday night at McCoy Stadium.

"I feel all right," he said. "I felt good running. I got to see some action on the bases and everything was fine."

Originally, he was hoping for four or five at-bats, but he settled for three.

"I was getting cold out there and I was getting a little sore, a good sore. I kind of ran a lot today, so you don't want to go too crazy about it and that's why I'm going to play a lot of games here, and I'll get ready for tomorrow."

During his first at-bat, he had a 0-2 count when Red Wings starter Kyle Gibson delivered a pitch low and inside, forcing Ortiz to jump out of the way. He showed no ill effects and worked the count 2-2 before striking out swinging.

Ortiz then hit a first-pitch single up the middle in his second at-bat in the third inning. In the fifth, he provided a RBI-single up the middle, but more importantly he showed no ill effects when he ran from first to third on double by PawSox teammate Mark Hamilton. Ortiz then scored on Drew Sutton's single to left field.

"The couple of days I spent in Florida, we were testing that [first to third] and it went well. Basically, there was no hesitation when I was running the bases today."

As far as his timing at the plate and facing live game pitching, Ortiz is also focused on that aspect of his game.

"That's another thing I'm concerned about," he said. "That's why we have a long spring training, to make sure you get ready to play in a major league baseball game, and that's another area I want to make sure I cover some ground in."

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz has not played in an actual game in nearly eight months because of an Achilles injury.

His road to recovery takes another positive step as he begins a minor league rehab assignment with the Pawtucket Red Sox on Thursday night at McCoy Stadium. He's scheduled to hit third and get four to five at-bats during the PawSox's opening night against the Rochester Red Wings.

"Come down here and get the engine going," Ortiz said prior to the game. "It's been good lately. I'm finally seeing good results."

He struggled to get healthy during spring training, but after the team decided to shut him down, that's when he started to feel better again.

"Right after they shut me down and treating everything differently, I started to feel better," he said. "I had a lot of inflammation down there, so the main key was to get rid of it and it's working pretty good."

Ortiz played a simulated game Monday in Fort Myers, Fla., and an extended spring training game on Tuesday. He was scheduled to play again on Wednesday, but instead he flew to Boston, spent some time with his family and drove to Pawtucket on Thursday afternoon.

Red Sox manager John Farrell said before Boston's game that although Ortiz took Wednesday off, aside from some side work, the plan to get the big slugger back has not changed.

"Scheduled for four to five at-bats. That's the goal over the next four to five days," Farrell said. "Going into this it felt that a minimum of 20 at-bats were needed, so that plan is still consistent."

Ortiz took BP on Thursday and showed no ill effects. After the brief session, he was asked about getting his timing back during the two games earlier in the week.

"I wasn't worried about that, to be honest with you, down there, I was more afraid about getting hit," he said with a laugh. "The kids getting excited down there. I remember those days when I played down there, when you see a Major League Baseball player you get excited and sometimes you try to do too much, but everything went well and everybody was under control.

"When I was down there I wanted to just put the ball in play and try to run -- that was my goal down there. My idea was to put the ball in play and take off running just to see how it feels."

Since he hasn't played in a game since last August, Ortiz said he'll rely on memory and instincts in order to return to form.

"When it comes down to hitting, I haven't played in a while, so you just wanna go back to that zone that everybody knows you need to be able to dominate once you get to the bigs, because otherwise it'll give you a hard time. On the other hand, I want to make sure my foot is doing well."

There's been some concern that Ortiz may not be able to log the similar amount of games he normally does during the season, but he insists once he's activated his realistic goal is to play on a regular basis.

"I'm looking forward to going out there and play every day," Ortiz said. "I'll get that one day off once in a while, but my goal is to go back up and do what I normally do."

During his absence the Red Sox are off to a strong start. Ortiz has been paying close attention. He likes what he sees and can't wait to contribute.

"Awesome, man," he said of the club's start. "When you can win games at the beginning and start things ahead it's easier down the road, so seeing everybody playing well, and our pitching has been outstanding and it gets no better."

Information from ESPNBoston.com contributor Tony Lee was used in this report.

BOSTON -- The last time David Ortiz played in the minor leagues was nearly five years ago, when he went to Triple-A Pawtucket in 2008 on a rehab assignment. He had been on the disabled list with a partially torn sheath in his left wrist, which would cause him to miss 45 games.

Ortiz needed exactly three games to decide he was ready to return to Boston, hitting home runs in each of the three games and deciding that 12 plate appearances was enough. So while Red Sox manager John Farrell said the club expects Ortiz to need 20 to 30 plate appearances on a new rehab assignment that begins Thursday night in Pawtucket, they’re leaving the timetable entirely in Ortiz’s hands.

“His return date to us is still uncertain at this point,’’ Farrell said before Wednesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. “That’s going to depend on David and how comfortable he feels in the box with his timing.

“We will assume somewhere in the 20- to 30 at-bat range would be expected that he’ll need."

Ortiz played in a simulated game Monday in Fort Myers, Fla., and an extended spring training game Tuesday, and reported no issues with the strained right Achilles tendon that so far has cost him 11 weeks of playing time -- the last 10 weeks of the 2012 season, in which he came off the DL, played one game, and then shut it down for the season, and the first week of this season. By late Wednesday afternoon, he was headed north for Pawtucket's home opener Thursday night.

Ortiz originally was scheduled to play in Florida on Wednesday (in fact, Farrell said before Wednesday night's game in Boston that Ortiz played in Florida), but he was not at JetBlue Park, according to ESPNBoston.com correspondent Rick Weber.

Ortiz had come into camp expressing a desire to be ready for Opening Day, but it quickly became apparent that wasn’t going to happen, as Ortiz did not participate in any exhibition games and at one point in early March shut down all activity for more than a week because of continuing discomfort. Not only was his right foot still troublesome, but he also developed some pain in his left heel, the result, the Sox said, of the ramped-up activity after being unable to do any running during the winter.

“More than anything," Farrell said, “the last four, five days he seemingly turned the corner. More aggressive running the bases, the way he feels at the plate. He’s in a pretty good place, all things considered."

Ortiz’s arrival Thursday in Pawtucket is a happy coincidence for the PawSox, who play their home opener that night. If the Red Sox timetable of 20 to 30 at-bats holds true, Ortiz would be on track to be activated April 19, when the Sox return home to face the Kansas City Royals.

But stay tuned: Perhaps Ortiz will derive extra motivation from the possibility of facing former manager Terry Francona in Cleveland, where the Sox play three games beginning next Tuesday, and pronounce himself ready.

Designated hitter David Ortiz told ESPNBoston.com that his short rehab stint with Triple-A Pawtucket will begin Thursday, marking another step in his long and winding road back to the Red Sox lineup.

Ortiz played in a simulated game Monday in Fort Myers, Fla., an extended spring training game Tuesday and was supposed to play again Wednesday. Instead, that plan was scrapped and by Wednesday afternoon Ortiz was headed north for Pawtucket's home opener Thursday night.

The 37-year-old Ortiz has told manager John Farrell that he would feel comfortable returning to Boston after 25 to 30 at-bats for Pawtucket, which puts him on track to potentially rejoin the Red Sox for their April 19-21 series against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park.

Ortiz has missed all but one game since injuring his Achilles last July. He began spring training on track to begin the season with the Red Sox, but soreness in his heel kept him out of Grapefruit League action and delayed his return.

If he returns by the 19th, he will have missed the first 18 days of the season. Ortiz has a clause in his contract that increases his 2014 salary from $11 million to $13-15 million depending on how many games he misses due to the Achilles injury. Ortiz will reportedly make the full $15 million next season if he spends 20 or fewer days on the disabled list due to the injury. He is making $14 million this season regardless of the number of days he’s sidelined.

Before being sidelined with the Achilles injury last season, Ortiz was putting up monster numbers. Through 90 games, he had 23 homers, 60 RBIs, a .318 batting average and a 1.026 OPS.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The sign at JetBlue Park has an arrow pointing in the direction of Boston, with these words: 1,456 MILES.

It seems like a long way, but Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz is a little bit closer after another day in his continuing rehab -- his first extended spring training game.

Under a blistering sun Tuesday afternoon, Ortiz went 1-for-5 while batting second in each of the first five innings against three different Orioles pitchers in front of about 40 fans on Field No. 5. He even wore his familiar No. 34 jersey -- a day after donning a nameless No. 77.

“He’s looking more comfortable,” said Class A Lowell hitting coach Noah Hall, who has worked with Ortiz for the past two days. “It seems like he’s hitting a better groove. He hit the ball hard three times in five at-bats. He’s making good progress. It’s only the second day. His hands are looking quick. He looked like he was ready to hit the fastball.”

But there’s one other thing Hall has seen from Ortiz. One of the greatest players in the team’s history is doing his work far from the glamour of Fenway Park -- and playing with and against mostly obscure players who still treasure sending their parents photos of themselves in action -- but he’s showing everybody what it takes to be a superstar.

“It’s been impressive,” Hall said. “I’ve worked with him the last two days in the cage. I know the work he’s done there and in the games. What I’ve found is that he’s on every swing. He’s a serious student of the game. It’s no surprise he’s as good as he is. Every swing has a plan behind it. I’m really impressed with his approach, even the cage work.

“And yesterday, how hard he was running was great to see. It lets the younger players know, ‘This is Big Papi. He’s not known for his speed, but he’s busting his butt.’ There are no excuses for younger guys not to get after it. Papi’s far from Boston, but he’s respecting the game.”

Ortiz is recovering from a tear in his right Achilles’ tendon and did not play in any spring training games. He reported to Florida expecting to participate in full workouts, but he experienced inflammation in both heels and was shut down on March 10.

In his first two at-bats Tuesday -- both against 26-year-old right-handed knuckleballer Zach Staniewicz -- Ortiz reached first on an error by second baseman Tucker Nathans and was retired on a hard grounder to first that advanced a runner to second.

Those were fascinating duels: Papi vs. the Niekro protege. Staniewicz pitched in independent leagues three years ago, but has never done it in the minor leagues. He worked with Hall of Famer Phil Niekro in 2011 and was told that he had to make the knuckler his only pitch.

After Staniewicz joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve and played for the U.S. Military All-Stars, his coach, Terry Allvord, called a buddy, former Red Sox general manager and current Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, to set up a tryout. Duquette ended up signing Staniewicz to a minor-league deal last summer without a tryout. He worked with Niekro during spring training as the only knuckleballer in the Orioles’ system.

Hall said Ortiz hadn’t taken a swing at a knuckleball all spring.

“It was obviously good for him, especially since R.A. Dickey is in our division, although no two knuckleballers are exactly the same,” Hall said. “He was fine. He didn’t complain, ‘Why am I facing this guy?’ When it comes to Papi, he’s ready to hit anyone who’s throwing to him. He has a lot of confidence.”

Ortiz faced 19-year-old right-hander Sean McAdams, the Orioles' 14th-round selection in the 2012 first-year player draft, in his third and fourth at-bats, hitting a hard grounder to first for an unassisted putout and then striking out while attempting to check his swing on a slider in the dirt.

In his final at-bat, he ripped a line-drive single to right-center on a 1-1 fastball from 19-year-old Luc Rennie, a 16th-round pick last summer by the Orioles.

“On that strikeout, he (Ortiz) obviously hadn’t seen that guy before, and it was the first time he had seen that pitch in that at-bat,” Hall said. “It was the only at-bat he didn’t have a quality at-bat -- (which is) any time you make good contact or do your job in situational hitting. In his first at-bat, he moved the runner over, which is a good example of a professional hitter. It was a good example for our young guys: Even Big Papi plays the game right. He wasn’t trying to hit a home run.”

After his fifth at-bat, Ortiz rode off the field in a golf cart that went behind the outfield fence and into a restricted area that led to the clubhouse, avoiding the autograph seekers. His day was done at 2:18 p.m.

That part of the day was a disappointment to Mary Ellen Porter, a West Hartford, Conn., resident who left her Fort Myers condo and came to the game “just to be close” to Ortiz. But she still left satisfied.

“Some solid hitting,” she said, “but I think he can do a whole lot better in Boston. I think he’ll be going out of the park. Forget about all those dribblers.”

Ortiz is expected to play in another game Wednesday, then is likely to be sent on a rehab assignment, provided he does not have any setbacks. He is on schedule to play in Triple-A Pawtucket’s home opener Thursday and could rejoin the Red Sox for their April 19-21 series against the Royals at Fenway Park.

Ortiz has told manager John Farrell that he would feel comfortable returning to Boston after 25 to 30 at-bats for Pawtucket.

* Pitcher Franklin Morales, who pitched only one inning in spring training (Feb. 27) due to a back injury, made quick work of the Orioles in the first inning.

Morales, who is being stretched out as a starter but also could return in the bullpen, threw strikes on 10 of his 15 pitches, forcing a ground out to short, a broken-bat grounder to first and a grounder to second. Red Sox coaches requested another batter, and Morales gave up a single to left.

“I feel good,” he said. “My command’s good, pitches good. I located my pitches. It was the first time I see these guys, so that’s good. I tried to throw strikes and pitch to contact. I’m ready. My back felt great. I worked out with the trainer, and right now, I feel normal.”

The plan for Morales is to build him up to the point where he makes three-inning appearances. His next scheduled appearance is Friday.

NEW YORK -- Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell on Wednesday offered encouraging news for disabled players Stephen Drew and David Ortiz, indicating that shortstop Drew could be back for next Monday's home opener and that DH Ortiz is on track to return to the team by the third week of April.

Drew played for the second straight day in an extended spring training game in Florida and will join Double-A Portland for the Sea Dogs' season-opening game Thursday night at Hadlock Field against the Trenton Thunder. Drew is on the seven-day disabled list for players with concussions, and Farrell said Drew can play a maximum of five games on a rehab assignment, which does not include games in extended spring.

At the moment, Farrell said, the Sox have Drew mapped out through four games, which would take him to the end of the Sea Dogs' four-game series with Trenton on Sunday afternoon. The Sox open at home the next day against the Baltimore Orioles.

Farrell said Drew was "turning the corner" even before the club broke camp last Saturday, and has not experienced, at game speed this week, a recurrence of the "spinning sensation" that has plagued him since he was hit by a pitch on March 7.

Ortiz, meanwhile, is scheduled to travel Thursday to Fort Myers, continue the rehab and running work he has been doing here for a couple of days, then play in a game Monday. Ortiz, who said he was feeling good, said that he may play in a game even sooner than that, but that's the plan.

"David told me he would feel comfortable with 25 to 30 at-bats, which will likely take place at Pawtucket," Farrell said.

Farrell would not predict how long Ortiz will play in games in Florida before joining the PawSox.

"We're still hopeful the target time [for Boston] is the third week of April."