BOSTON -- David Ortiz was held out of yesterday's game as a precautionary measure.

“He has that spot on his knee. I don’t know if you’d term it tendonitis, but he bruised it the other day,” manager Terry Francona said. “On a day when it’s wet and cold, a day game after a night game, he was just having trouble getting it loose . . . It’s going to be a long year. We can slide Youkilis in there (to the third spot in the order).”

Ortiz, you may recall, missed two games last weekend in Tampa against the Rays after he experienced soreness and swelling following a head-first dive into first base in the first game of the series at Tropicana Field. Ortiz returned to the lineup Tuesday, when the Sox began their home stand and had been 8-for-20 with a homer and four RBI in the last five games.