BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz received an injection Monday afternoon to help alleviate the pain and swelling of his right Achilles strain.
"I don't feel my foot right now and that means I feel good," Ortiz said after Boston's 9-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday night at Fenway Park. "It's going to be there for 6 to 8 hours, but it's supposed to get things better. I guess I have to give it a couple of days to see what the reaction is going to be like and go from there."
Ortiz said he's not allowed to participate in any activities for a few days, but he's hoping he'll be able to return to the lineup when the Red Sox travel to Cleveland on Thursday.
"He felt great," said Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine. "He said he could have played tonight on the bench, but who knows how long that's going to last?"
The injection of a local anesthetic, believed to be Marcaine, should help control the pain in the affected area. The treatment is not considered a setback, according to Valentine.
"(Medical staff) didn't think that was the necessarily the case when talking to them," the manager said.
Ortiz has been on the DL since July 16 and was eligible to be activated on Aug. 1.
Other injury updates:
• Reliever Vicente Padilla was not available to pitch Monday night due to a slight groin pull, along with biceps and triceps issues, according to Valentine. "He needs a day, at least," Valentine said.
• Reliever Andrew Bailey will continue his minor league rehab assignment and is scheduled to pitch back-to-back days on Wednesday and Thursday for the Pawtucket Red Sox. "He came in today and said he felt great," Valentine said.
• Starter Daisuke Matsuzaka (trapezius strain) made his second minor league rehab start for the PawSox on Sunday and allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits, a walk and three strikeouts in three innings of work. Valentine said Monday that -- despite the numbers -- the reports were positive. "The first two innings, he threw the ball better than he has, but when there was an error made behind him and a couple of guys got on base, he lost a little of his command," Valentine said. "(Pawtucket manager) Arnie (Beyeler) thought it was the best he's seen him so far."
• Dr. James Andrews examined right-handed reliever Scott Atchison's ailing forearm and elbow in Florida on Monday. The club is not expecting a final decision for the next couple of days as to whether the pitcher will need season-ending Tommy John surgery or will be able to rehab it and return to action.
• PawSox reliever Daniel Bard continues to progress, and the Red Sox think he's closing in on a return to Boston. "The latest is they like all the progress," Valentine said. "They sent him out for the second inning the other night and it wasn't quite what they were hoping for, but the first inning was terrific. He's getting close to helping us."
• Red Sox outfielder Daniel Nava received a cortisone shot in his ailing wrist on Monday.