BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox are finally getting healthy.
Boston welcomed back left fielder Manny Ramirez, catcher Jason Varitek and right fielder Trot Nixon to its lineup Monday night against the Chicago White Sox.
Ramirez had missed 10 of the previous 11 with a sore right knee. Ramirez, hitting a team-leading .326 with 34 homers and 100 RBIs, was in his usual cleanup spot and playing left.
"He said he can play," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "That's good enough for me. He worked on the treadmill aggressively the past couple of days."
The team may just have to wait one more day for slugger David Ortiz.
Ortiz, who suffered heart palpitations twice in August -- the second time a week ago -- wore a heart monitor over the weekend, with hopes of returning Monday. He hasn't played the last seven, but said before the game that he would like to return Tuesday.
Ortiz was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital for tests last week, and he said Saturday that the doctors told him his heart was fine.
"I don't know if that's realistic or not," Francona said of a return Tuesday. "He's going to (take batting practice) today."
Boston's lineup was also bolstered by the return of Varitek and Nixon, but it may not come in time for the slumping Red Sox.
"It's nice to have Manny healthy," Francona said. "You write in Manny. Then you write in Trot and (Varitek) behind him."
Varitek injured his left knee and had surgery on August 3. Nixon has been sidelined since straining his right biceps on July 31.
Boston, which was tied for the A.L. East lead on August 1, went 9-21 in month to fall out of the division chase. The Red Sox entered Monday's game nine games behind the division-leading New York Yankees.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
