David Ortiz

David Ortiz
David Ortiz
	Designated hitter
	Born: November 18, 1975 (age 47); Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
debut
	September 2, 1997, for the Minnesota Twins
Career statistics ; (through Through 2013)
Batting average	.287
Home runs	431
Runs batted in	1,429
Teams
	Minnesota Twins (1997-2002); Boston Red Sox (2003-2016);
Career highlights and awards
	5x Silver Slugger Award winner (2004, 2005, 2006 2007); 9x All-Star selection (2004, 2005, 2006 2007); Led AL in home runs in 2006; Led AL in runs batted in 2005 and 2006; Led AL in bases on balls in 2006 and 2007;
Incoming Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2022
Vote	77.9% (first ballot)

David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter who played for the Boston Red Sox. Ortiz used to play for the Minnesota Twins from 1997-2002. Nicknamed "Big Papi" or "Señor Papi", Ortiz has played in four All-Star Games. He holds the Red Sox single-season record for home runs with 54, which he set during the 2006 season. He also won the 2010 Home Run DeCareer

Early career

Ortiz graduated from Estudia Espaillat High School in the Dominican Republic and in 1992 he was signed by the Seattle Mariners who listed him as "David Arias" (possibly not understanding Spanish naming customs). In 1996, the Mariners received Dave Hollins from the Minnesota Twins for a player to be named later. Later that season, the Mariners announced that the player to be named later would be Arias. When Ortiz arrived in Minnesota, he informed the team that he preferred to be listed as "David Ortiz." He made his major league debut in September of 1997. After moving up and down from the majors to the minors, Ortiz hit .272 with 20 home runs and 75 RBI in 2002, when the Twins lost in the American League Championship Series to the eventual World Series champions Anaheim Angels.

Professional career

In 2003, Ortiz was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He hit 31 home runs that season. The Red Sox lost to the New York Yankees in the ALCS.

Starting in 2004, however, Ortiz became known for his clutch hitting. He hit two walk-off home runs in the postseason. His first came when the Red Sox swept the Anaheim Angels in the American League Division Series. He hit another walk-off home run in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Yankees. And he also had a walk-off single in Game 5. He was named ALCS MVP. The Red Sox went on to win their first World Series since 1918. They won two more World Series championships in 2007 and 2013.

In Game 2 of the 2013 ALCS against the Detroit Tigers, Ortiz hit a game-tying grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Ortiz retired after the 2016 season. The Red Sox were swept by the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS that year.

2019 shooting

On June 9, 2019, Ortiz was shot in the Dominican Republic while at a club in Santo Domingo.^[1] Ortiz was "ambushed by a man who got off a motorcycle" and shot him in the back.^[2] He was hospitalized and underwent surgery.^[2]^[3]

Career statistics

year	team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG
1997	MIN	15	49	10	16	3	0	1	6	0	2	19	.327	.353	.449
1998	MIN	86	278	47	77	20	0	9	46	1	39	72	.277	.371	.446
1999	MIN	10	20	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	12	.000	.200	.000
2000	MIN	130	415	59	117	36	1	10	63	1	57	81	.282	.364	.446
2001	MIN	89	303	46	71	17	1	18	48	1	40	68	.234	.324	.475
2002	MIN	125	412	52	112	32	1	20	75	1	43	87	.272	.339	.500
2003	BOS	128	448	79	129	39	2	31	101	0	58	83	.288	.369	.592
2004	BOS	150	582	94	175	47	3	41	139	0	75	133	.301	.380	.603
2005	BOS	159	601	119	180	40	1	47	148	1	102	124	.300	.397	.604
2006	BOS	151	558	115	160	29	2	54	137	1	119	117	.287	.413	.636
2007	BOS	149	549	116	182	52	1	35	117	3	111	103	.332	.445	.621
2008	BOS	49	103	40	52	9	0	13	43	0	31	33	.250	.358	.488
Total	-	1234	4378	772	1262	324	12	279	923	9	676	918	.288	.383	.556

David Ortiz Media

Ortiz (right) with then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays catcher Toby Hall in 2006
big papi 1dmk2n, 300mm f/4L, w/2.0x TC white sox vs. red sox 2006
Ortiz batting in 2009
Ortiz waits for a pitch in 2010
Ortiz in 2014
Ortiz batting against the Yankees in September 2016 during the final week of his career