BOSTON -- David Ortiz will be the only Red Sox player at this week's All-Star Game in Kansas City. He's also the only everyday player on his Red Sox team that enters the All-Star break hitting over .300.
Following Sunday night's 7-3 loss to the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, Ortiz gave his "state of the Red Sox" address while sitting in front of his locker.
And with a 43-43 record, tied for last place in the American League East, 9.5 games behind the Yankees, Ortiz is only looking at one thing: injuries.
"With all the injuries that we've been through, I think it could be worse, you know what I'm saying?" said Ortiz.
"It's hard to compete like that," he later added. "I mean, you try, you know what I'm saying? But, it's hard."
The Red Sox hope to get Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford back after the All-Star break. They also currently have Dustin Pedroia on the DL, and Clay Buchholz is expected to be back in the rotation next weekend.
But all season long, the Red Sox have been searching for answers. Ortiz believes he knows the answer. It's as simple as not having some of your best players healthy.
Boston Red Sox
"Have all those guys in and it would be a different story," said Ortiz. "Nobody's facing the situation that we are right now, with all the injuries. One coming in and another going back out, you know what I'm saying, it's hard to play, hard to compete like that.
"That's it," Ortiz later added. "I think that'll be the key right there. Just get some guys back, and fill some holes. Injuries have taken over in the game, man. It's hard.
"If you look at the team that broke spring training, and the team that played the past two-and-a-half months, it's a totally different team. Like I said, it's hard to compete like that."
The Yankees took three-of-four from the Red Sox over the weekend, and they go into the break in first place with 52 wins. They have injuries to key players, too. But Ortiz believes that if everybody gets back healthy for the second half, the Red Sox can make other teams pay, just like the Yankees made them pay this weekend.
"Well we hadn't played the Yankees in a while, but I noticed this weekend that you can make no mistakes when you play against them," said Ortiz. "You make a mistake, they'll make you pay. That's how good teams are.
"Good teams, they take advantage of mistakes. When we are playing well, when we have everybody here, you make a mistake against us, it will come back and haunt you."