I always was trying to hit those numbers, but I never thought about having my number up there!'Ĥ0 - David Ortiz was 40-years-old when he started his final season (2016) in the majors, and he finished with 38 home runs, 127 RBIs, and a. Why? After Big Papi retired, he was (at that time) ranked all-time in BoSox history home runs (2nd), doubles (3rd), RBIs (3rd), slugging percentage (4th), walks (4th), at-bats (5th), games played (5th), runs scored (5th), and hits (6th)! When they unveiled his retired number, Ortiz said, 'I remember hitting batting practice on this field. Big Papi received the award seven more times!ġ0 - David Ortiz had 100-or-more RBI in ten different seasons, breaking the all-time Red Sox record for most 100-RBI seasons in Boston, set previously by Ted Williams (9).ģ2 - David Ortiz hit 32 of his 54 home runs in 2006, on the road, tying the American League record for most home runs hit on the road, set previously by Babe Ruth, in 1927!ģ4 - David Ortiz wore #34 every season he played in Boston Red Sox, and the Red Sox retired it in his honor on Friday, June 23, 2017.

The following year, it was renamed the Edgar Martinez Award, in honor of Edgar Martinez, a five-time recipient and widely considered one of the greatest DH's in baseball history. Big Papi ended his Hall of Fame career a seven-time Silver Slugger recipient.Ĩ - David Ortiz won the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award in 2003. Ortiz, the 2004 LCS MVP, was the first designated hitter to ever receive the honor.ģ - David Ortiz hit 41 home runs in 2004, 47 home runs in 2005, and 54 home runs in 2006, three consecutive seasons with 40-or-more home runs, a feat never accomplished in Boston - before Big Papi!ħ - David Ortiz won his fifth Silver Slugger Award in 2011, breaking the record for most Silver Sluggers won by a designated hitter in baseball history, held previously by Edgar Martinez (4 as DH / 1 as 1B) and Paul Molitor (4). In 2006, David Ortiz broke that seventy year old team-record when he hit 54 homers, and through today, they remain the only two 50-homer BoSox seasons! Join Baseball Almanac as we take a look at some additional numbers of interest as they relate to Big Papi, one of the best designated hitters - if not the best ever - in baseball history:ġ - David Ortiz, excluding his stats while playing first base, has had 2,023 hits, 447 home runs, and driven in 1,442 runs (RBI) - all totals are the most in baseball history by a designated hitter.Ģ - David Ortiz was the second Boston Red Sox player to win the League Championship Most Valuable Player Award, following second baseman Marty Barrett who was the LCS MVP in 1986. In 1936, Jimmie Foxx hit 50 home runs, setting the Boston Red Sox single-season record for home runs. Kirby Puckett Rookie Card | David Ortiz Rookie CardBaseball Almanac Research Library He kept telling me what I needed to do to get better, to keep fighting, and to never give up.' One time when I was struggling, Kirby sat me down. 'Every time I look at that number, I think about him,' says Ortiz of the former outfielder (below), who died after a stroke in March. Upon arriving in Boston Red Sox in 2003, Ortiz wanted Puckett's number 34. Do you know why Big Papi, his nickname, switched from number 27 to number 34? Sports Illustrated: Me and My Number (24 July 006.) had the following story: When Big Papi broke in with the Twins in the late 1990s, he got to know Minnesota great Kirby Puckett, who Ortiz says served as a valuable mentor to him.

David Ortiz Miscellaneous Items of Interestĭavid Americo Ortiz was a Major League Baseball player with the Minnesota Twins ( 1997- 2002) and Boston Red Sox ( 2003- 2016).

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