Report: David Ortiz to retire after 2016 season
Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz has reportedly decided that he will only play one more season.
According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Ortiz is planning to retire after the 2016 season. The 39-year-old has one year and $16 million remaining on his current contract, with the Red Sox holding a team option for 2017.
Ortiz proved last season that he is still capable of producing at a high level, as he hit .273 with 37 home runs and 108 RBI. Despite many trying to anticipate when his production will fall off a cliff, Big Papi has hit more than 30 homers and driven in over 100 runs in each of the past three seasons.
Prior to last season, Ortiz was playing hardball with the Sox and said he would “move on” if he didn’t get the contract he was looking for. Ultimately, the sides were able to come to an agreement.
Ortiz will go down as one of the most clutch hitters in MLB history. While he has said in the past that he does not want to have a Derek Jeter-style farewell tour, it appears his agents and PR team had other plans.
