After two games off, Papi poised to return

ARLINGTON -- David Ortiz sat out the past two games for the Red Sox, but manager John Farrell said Friday night "everything points to he will be in the lineup" Saturday against the Rangers.

Ortiz was getting a break after battling the flu and also struggling through a 1-for-20 stretch that dropped his season average to .216. He said Thursday night he was putting "Plan B" into action, and it appears he'll get that chance Saturday.

But what exactly is Plan B?

"Come back and rake," Ortiz said.

At 39 years old, the nine-time All-Star doesn't seem overly worried about his tough start to the season. Ortiz has been through slumps before -- including a big one at the start of the 2009 season.

"We'll see how it will work," Ortiz said. "I can try my best, and like I said the other day, sometimes it's good that this happens. Some people don't understand that this game ain't easy. This game will trick you, and the only benefit that a guy like me has is that I already know what the worst can be. I just come in and do what I did today. Come back tomorrow and do the same thing and go from there."

Ortiz spent the past two days going through a normal routine and working in the cages and video room figuring out his swing. Asked whether the time off helped, Ortiz smiled.

"We're about to find out," he said.