David Ortiz the homer is giving way to David Ortiz the realist.
In an interview with Nicole Yang of Boston.com that was published Thursday, the retired Boston Red Sox great picked the rival New York Yankees to win the American League East in 2018 over the Red Sox.
“They pretty much stacked the lineup with more power,” Ortiz said of the Yankees. “I don’t think anyone else in the division can compete with that.
“I think the Red Sox are the one team that, as an underdog, is going to be out there exceeding expectations more than usual,” he added however.
Indeed, the Yankees are heavy favorites to take home the division crown after trading for reigning National League home runs leader Giancarlo Stanton this offseason to pair with fellow super slugger Aaron Judge in their lineup. But the Red Sox made some upgrades of their own as well, most notably signing former All-Star J.D. Martinez to a five-year deal.
For reference, Boston won the East with a record of 93-69 in 2017, finishing two games ahead of the 91-71 Yankees. That makes Ortiz’s prediction all the more interesting (though he was actually surprisingly warm to the Yanks during his playing career).
