David Ortiz's return delayed

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BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz confirmed Tuesday that he will not come off the disabled list when he's eligible on Wednesday.

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"Not tomorrow," said Ortiz, who has been out since July 17 with a right Achilles strain. "Still limping a little bit when I walk. Got to be pain free first before I can start running."

Ortiz, who wasn't able to do some scheduled agility drills over the weekend in New York because of the pain, took some swings during batting practice Tuesday. The Red Sox are 6-7 without their designated hitter, scoring three runs or fewer eight times in those 13 games.

Meanwhile, on the same day the Red Sox traded away right-handed reliever Matt Albers, they revealed news that another could be lost for a long time to come.

Manager Bobby Valentine said Scott Atchison has a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament. Atchison is going to get a second opinion, and if the tear is confirmed he would require Tommy John surgery.

Atchison initially was placed on the disabled list with right forearm tightness. He made one rehab appearance for Triple-A Pawtucket in which he gave up three runs in an inning of work. The pain had moved up his arm in the wake of that outing, prompting the exam that showed the tear.

If Atchison needs Tommy John surgery, he will be out until well into the 2013 season. The 36-year-old is not arbitration-eligible until 2014.

Atchison is 2-1 with a 1.76 ERA in 37 games, one of the leaders in a bullpen that has surprised many with its relative dominance. He was even mentioned as a darkhorse All-Star candidate, a remarkable development given his career path through multiple organizations, several minor league stops and two years in Japan.

Tony Lee is a regular contributor to ESPNBoston.com.

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