Ortiz returns to Red Sox lineup

TORONTO (AP) — Slugger David Ortiz is back in the Boston Red Sox lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Blue Jays after sitting out the past two nights with a sore right foot.

Ortiz left Sunday’s game against Seattle in the sixth, two innings after fouling a ball off his foot. The veteran slugger is batting .265 with 30 home runs, the fifth-highest total in the majors. With 93 RBIs, he’s one behind Chicago’s Jose Abreu for the AL lead.

Ortiz, who skipped batting practice the past two days, is batting third against Blue Jays rookie right-hander Marcus Stroman.

Ortiz has 37 career home runs at Rogers Centre, his highest total at any road stadium.

Daniel Nava will start in left field as Yoenis Cespedes gets the day off. Boston is in the midst of a stretch of seven straight games on artificial turf.

Also Wednesday, manager John Farrell said shortstop Xander Bogaerts has passed baseball’s mandatory concussion tests and been cleared to rejoin the team in Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Bogaerts suffered a concussion when he was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Seattle’s Felix Hernandez last Friday.

Boston recalled left-hander Edwin Escobar from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned right-hander Heath Hembree to Triple-A. Hembree allowed three runs in the 11th inning of Tuesday’s 11-7 win.

Acquired from San Francisco in the July 26 deal that sent Jake Peavy to the Giants, Escobar was 0-2 with a 4.28 ERA in five starts at Pawtucket. He has never pitched in the major leagues.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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