It is probably going to take another full season before people finally accept that David Ortiz is truly retired, and Big Papi can thank one of his former teammates for keeping the comeback rumors alive this week.
On Thursday, Ramirez left the door open for Ortiz to change his mind, saying the former Boston Red Sox slugger might decide to come out of retirement because “we miss each other so much.”
Hanley on @davidortiz – "told me if he tries to come back, I'm one of the reasons he'Il come back. Because we miss each other." #redsox #wbz pic.twitter.com/GSLWD7OKiV
— Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) February 16, 2017
Ramirez was joking, but he got Red Sox fans excited. Ortiz quickly squashed the latest wave of excitement.
@RochieWBZ yes bro my boy is so right.
But lm not playing baseball anymore— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) February 16, 2017
Had folks paid attention to what Ramirez said before making his wise crack about Big Papi’s possible return, they would have realized it’s not happening.
Hanley: 'David's not coming back: he's home with his family. Got that, Sox nation? We've got to do it without him.'
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) February 16, 2017
The Red Sox already have plans to retire Ortiz’s No. 34 this season, and the slugger got countless retirement gifts from opposing teams last season. Although one famous Red Sox player isn’t willing to let it go, Big Papi’s days of hitting home runs into the right field bleachers at Fenway Park are over.
