David Ortiz to DL

The Red Sox have placed David Ortiz on the 15-Day Disabled List. He was diagnosed by Red Sox doctors with a strained right Achilles. After receiving a second opinion, that diagnosis was confirmed. Or as Dr. Bobby Valentine put it: "He has a right strained heel, Achilles’ attachment type thing."

Valentine also said that Ortiz would do nothing baseball related for a week to 10 days while the heel heals. Then again, Valentine's projections on injuries this year have always been on optimistic side.

Ortiz suffered the injury by stepping awkwardly on a base after Adrian Gonzalez hit a homerun. It was a CBI, a Classic Baseball Injury. When you consider that Ortiz spends most of the game on the bench, then has to run at full speed on the bases, it makes sense. That starting and stopping can be very hard on a muscle or a tendon.

Without Ortiz, the Sox will need Adrian Gonzalez to play up to expectations. Contributions from Ellsbury and Crawford are also needed more now.

Mauro Gomez was called up and started last night as the DH. I wouldn't mind seeing Crawford play some games as the DH, considering his elbow issues.

Perhaps Ortiz will realize that this is the reason the Sox don't extend his contract. You never know what will happen to a player during the season.

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