By Michael Vega, Globe Staff

With designated hitter David Ortiz out for at least the next week, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine tabbed Daniel Nava to handle the DH spot in Tuesday night's game against the White Sox.

Valentine was asked if he would use the opportunity to utilize different players in that spot or to give different players some rest out in the field.

"I have all those options,'' he said. "We can rotate guys through, if we want. I don't see one person sticking out as someone we're going to put there and say he's replacing David Ortiz as the designated hitter. You don't do that.

"But I think we'll get some combinations of people that will help us score some runs.''

Asked why he decided to go with Nava Tuesday night as his DH, Valentine said, "Well, I thought getting someone who was a credible hitter, and slotting him into the No. 3 spot, was the least disruptive. Dan just came out of the lineup after hitting a game-winning home run [Sunday at Tampa Bay] ... so I figured ... [to use Nava at DH].''

* Valentine said he considered penciling in Nava at left field and making Crawford the DH, but the manager explained he didn't want to disrupt Crawford's flow after he made his 2012 debut in Monday night's 5-1 victory over the White Sox.

"I talked to Carl about that and second day back, I want him to get a flow of the game,'' Valentine said. `And DHing isn't a way to get into the flow of the game.''

* Valentine on having to play with a short bench, yet again: "I think most teams do it. We have weathered the storm. I don't think the players are affected by it at all. I just deal with it as though someone came out of the game in the first inning with a hamstring or something and you're playing the rest of the game [without him]."