Ortiz takes live BP

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- As has been the theme here late this week, live batting practice highlighted the Red Sox' morning workout.

David Ortiz, returning to the practice field after a two-day absence due to a sore left shoulder, stepped into the cage against relievers Hideki Okajima and Ramon Ramirez as part of a hitting group that included Mike Lowell, Julio Lugo, and Jason Bay.

Nearby, Dustin Pedroia, Jed Lowrie, and Jacoby Ellsbury faced a pitching tandem of Takashi Saito and Hunter Jones.

Other pitchers throwing live BP early on included Daniel Bard and Wes Littleton.

Check out the video above to see Ortiz bat against Okajima. In his first stint in the cage, Ortiz watched almost all the pitches before taking a cut on the final toss. The second time around he was much more active, showing no noticeable reluctance to swing despite the ailing shoulder.