David Ortiz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Ortiz
Ortiz with the Boston Red Sox in 2013
Designated hitter
Born: (1975-11-18) November 18, 1975 (age 49) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Batted: Left Threw: Left
debut
September 2, 1997, for the Minnesota Twins
Last appearance
October 2, 2016, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Batting average	.286
Hits	2,472
Home runs	541
Runs batted in	1,768
Teams
Minnesota Twins (1997–2002) Boston Red Sox (2003–2016)
Career highlights and awards
10× All-Star (2004–2008, 2010–2013, 2016) 3× World Series champion (2004, 2007, 2013) World Series MVP (2013) ALCS MVP (2004) 7× Silver Slugger Award (2004–2007, 2011, 2013, 2016) 2× AL Hank Aaron Award (2005, 2016) Roberto Clemente Award (2011) AL home run leader (2006) 3× AL RBI leader (2005, 2006, 2016) Boston Red Sox No. 34 retired Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2022
Vote	77.9% (first ballot)

David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), known as "Big Papi", is a retired Dominican-American baseball player. He played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1997 to 2016. He was mainly a designated hitter and first baseman.

Ortiz played for the Minnesota Twins for six seasons. Then, he joined the Boston Red Sox. With the Red Sox, he helped end their 86-year World Series championship drought in 2004. He also won championships in 2007 and 2013. In 2013, he was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.

During his first five years with the Red Sox, he hit many home runs and had many runs batted in (RBIs). He led the American League (AL) in RBIs twice. In 2006, he set a team record with 54 home runs. He was a ten-time All-Star. He also won the Silver Slugger Award seven times. Many people think he is one of the best designated hitters ever.

Ortiz holds major league records for career home runs (485), RBIs (1,569), and hits (2,192) as a designated hitter. He had ten seasons with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. He also batted over .300 seven times. In his final season, he had one of his best years. He led the AL in doubles, RBIs, and slugging percentage.

When he retired, Ortiz was sixth in AL history with 541 home runs. He was fifth in doubles (632) and ninth in RBIs (1,768). He was known as a great clutch hitter, meaning he performed well in important moments. He hit 11 walk-off home runs in the regular season. He also hit two in the 2004 postseason. In 2022, Ortiz was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This was his first year of eligibility.

Early Life and First Steps in Baseball

Ortiz was born on November 18, 1975. This was in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He was the oldest of four children. As a boy, he looked up to pitchers Ramón Martinez and his brother Pedro. He went to games and became good friends with Pedro. Ortiz finished high school in the Dominican Republic. He was a great player in both baseball and basketball.

Starting His Professional Journey

On November 28, 1992, Ortiz signed with the Seattle Mariners. He was just 17 years old. He was first listed as "David Arias" because of how Spanish names are used. He started playing professionally in 1994. He played for the Mariners in the Arizona League.

By 1996, he was playing for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. This was a Mariners farm team. He became one of their best young hitters. He batted .322 with 18 home runs and 93 RBIs. He even impressed players like Alex Rodriguez in a home run contest. In Wisconsin, Ortiz met his future wife, Tiffany. She made him a fan of the Green Bay Packers football team.

On September 13, 1996, Ortiz was traded to the Minnesota Twins. He was part of an earlier trade. When he joined the Twins, he asked to be called "David Ortiz." This was his father's family name. He quickly moved up through the Twins' system in 1997. He played for three different teams that year. He hit .317 with 31 home runs and 124 RBIs. This earned him a call-up to the Twins' main MLB team.

Playing for the Minnesota Twins (1997–2002)

First Seasons (1997-1999)

Ortiz made his MLB debut for the Twins on September 2, 1997. He played in 15 games that month. He got his first major league hit on September 3. His first home run came on September 14 against the Texas Rangers. In his first season, he hit one home run and had 6 RBIs.

In 1998, Ortiz wanted to be the regular first baseman. But the manager, Tom Kelly, liked players who avoided strikeouts and played great defense. Ortiz worked on his defense. He batted well, hitting .306 before breaking his wrist in May. He returned in July. He finished the year batting .277 with nine home runs and 46 RBIs.

In 1999, Ortiz struggled in spring training. He was sent back to the minor leagues. He played very well there, hitting .315 with 30 home runs. He was called back up in September. But he struggled and didn't get any hits.

Becoming a Regular (2000-2002)

By 2000, Ortiz's hitting was too good to keep in the minor leagues. He became a regular player by June. He mostly played as a designated hitter. On September 7, he hit his first grand slam at Fenway Park. It was against Boston Red Sox pitcher Ramón Martínez, one of his childhood heroes. He finished the year batting .282 with 10 home runs and 63 RBIs.

Ortiz started strong in 2001. He batted .311 with six home runs by May. But another wrist injury put him on the disabled list. He returned in July. He finished the year batting .234 with 11 home runs. The Twins had a winning season for the first time since 1992. After the season, manager Tom Kelly retired. Ron Gardenhire took over.

The offseason before 2002 was tough for Ortiz. His mother passed away in a car accident. Manager Gardenhire helped him through this time. Ortiz worked hard for the new season. He wanted to play his best. He had knee injuries early in 2002. But after the All-Star break, he played very well. He batted .297 with 15 home runs. He finished the season with a .272 average, 20 home runs, and 75 RBIs. These were his best numbers yet.

The Twins made the playoffs in 2002. They won 94 games. Ortiz batted .276 in his first postseason. He had 4 RBIs. His double in Game 5 of the Division Series helped the Twins win. This was one of many important hits in his career. After the season, the Twins decided to release Ortiz. This was to save money. He had played 455 games for them, hitting 58 home runs and 238 RBIs.

Joining the Boston Red Sox (2003–2016)

A New Start (2003)

After leaving the Twins, Ortiz met his friend Pedro Martínez in the Dominican Republic. Pedro, a Red Sox pitcher, told his team to sign Ortiz. On January 22, 2003, Ortiz signed with the Red Sox. He wore number 34 to honor his friend Kirby Puckett.

Ortiz didn't play much at first. He hit his first home run with the Red Sox on April 27. He became frustrated with his limited playing time. Pedro Martínez talked to him and the manager, Grady Little. Soon, Ortiz became the everyday designated hitter. He had a great year. He hit 31 home runs, had 101 RBIs, and batted .288. He finished fifth in the AL MVP Award voting. The Red Sox made the playoffs.

In the 2003 playoffs, Ortiz struggled at first. But in Game 4 of the ALDS, he hit a two-run double to help the Red Sox win. In the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees, he hit his first postseason home run. He had two home runs and 6 RBIs in that series. The Red Sox lost the series in a close Game 7.

Becoming a Star (2004)

Before the 2004 season, Ortiz signed a new contract with the Red Sox. He quickly started hitting well. On May 28, he hit his 100th career home run. It was a grand slam. He batted .304 with 23 home runs and 78 RBIs in the first half of the season. He was named an All-Star for the first time.

Ortiz finished the 2004 season with 41 home runs and 139 RBIs. He batted .301. He was second in the AL in home runs and RBIs. He also won his first Silver Slugger award. Ortiz and teammate Manny Ramirez became the first AL teammates since 1931 to each hit 40 home runs, have 100 RBIs, and bat .300.

In the 2004 postseason, Ortiz played even better. He had many game-winning hits. In the AL Division Series, he hit a walk-off home run to win the series. In the AL Championship Series against the Yankees, the Red Sox were down 0-3. Ortiz hit a walk-off two-run home run in Game 4. He then hit a walk-off single in Game 5. His amazing hitting helped the Red Sox come back and win the series. He was named the AL Championship Series MVP.

In the 2004 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ortiz helped the Red Sox sweep the series. This ended the Curse of the Bambino. It was their first World Series Championship in 86 years. Overall, Ortiz batted .400 in the 2004 postseason. He had five home runs and 23 RBIs.

Continued Success (2005-2007)

Ortiz (right) with then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays catcher Toby Hall in 2006

In 2005, Ortiz set new career highs. He hit 47 home runs and had 148 RBIs. He batted .300. He led the AL in RBIs. He was second in home runs. The Red Sox gave him a plaque calling him "the greatest clutch-hitter in the history of the Boston Red Sox." He was an All-Star again and won the Silver Slugger Award. He also won his first Hank Aaron Award as the best hitter in the AL.

Ortiz batting in 2006

On April 10, 2006, Ortiz signed a new contract with the Red Sox. He hit his 200th career home run on June 29. On September 21, he broke Jimmie Foxx's Red Sox record by hitting his 51st home run. He finished 2006 with a career-high 54 home runs. He had 137 RBIs. He led the AL in both home runs and RBIs.

In 2007, Ortiz helped the Red Sox win their seventh World Series title. He hit 35 home runs and had 117 RBIs. He batted a career-best .332. He was an All-Star for the fourth year in a row. He won the Silver Slugger award again. In the postseason, Ortiz kept hitting well. He batted .714 in the Division Series. He hit .333 in the 2007 World Series. Boston swept the Colorado Rockies to win their second World Series in four years.

Later Career (2008-2016)

In 2008, Ortiz started slowly because of a wrist injury. He played in 109 games. He finished with 23 home runs and 89 RBIs. He was still named an All-Star.

Ortiz batting in 2009

Ortiz struggled early in 2009. He didn't hit his first home run until May 20. In June, July, and August, he started hitting better. On July 9, he hit his 300th career home run. On September 17, Ortiz broke the all-time record for home runs by a designated hitter. He finished the season with 28 home runs and 99 RBIs.

Ortiz waits for a pitch in 2010

In 2010, Ortiz had another slow start. But he returned to his All-Star form. He finished with 32 home runs and 102 RBIs. At the All-Star Game, Ortiz won the Home Run Derby.

In 2011, Ortiz continued to play well. He batted .309 with 29 home runs and 96 RBIs. On April 2, he set the record for RBIs by a designated hitter. On May 21, Ortiz became the fifth player to hit 300 home runs as a Red Sox player. He made his seventh All-Star Team. He also won his fifth Silver Slugger Award. On October 20, he won the Roberto Clemente Award.

In 2012, Ortiz started very strong. He hit .405 in April. On July 4, he hit his 400th career home run. But on July 16, he hurt his right Achilles tendon. He missed much of the rest of the season. He finished with 23 home runs and 60 RBIs in 90 games.

World Series Champion Again (2013)

Ortiz came back strong in 2013. He helped the Red Sox finish first in the AL East. He hit 30 home runs, had 103 RBIs, and batted .309. He reached his 500th career double on July 2. He got his 2,000th career hit on September 4. On July 10, Ortiz became the all-time leader for hits by a designated hitter.

In the 2013 postseason, Ortiz hit five home runs and 13 RBIs. He batted .353. He led the Red Sox to another World Series championship. In Game 2 of the AL Championship Series, Ortiz hit a dramatic, game-tying grand slam. This helped the Red Sox win. In the World Series, Ortiz hit home runs in Games 1 and 2. He had six RBIs and batted .688. The Red Sox won the series 4–2. Ortiz won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award.

Final Seasons (2014-2016)

Ortiz in 2014

In 2014, Ortiz continued to hit well. He hit 35 home runs and had 104 RBIs. Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski called Ortiz the second greatest hitter in club history, after Ted Williams.

In 2015, Ortiz hit 37 home runs and had 108 RBIs. On July 14, he was chosen as one of the "Franchise Four" for the Boston Red Sox. This meant he was one of the four greatest players in team history. On September 12, Ortiz hit his 500th career home run. He became only the 27th player in MLB history to reach this milestone.

On his 40th birthday, November 18, 2015, Ortiz announced he would retire after the 2016 season.

David Ortiz's number 34 was retired by the Boston Red Sox in 2017.

In his final season, Ortiz hit 38 home runs. This was the most ever by a player in his last season. He had 127 RBIs and batted .315. He led the AL in doubles, RBIs, and slugging percentage.

Teams honored Ortiz throughout his final season. The New York Yankees gave him a painting. The Baltimore Orioles gave him a mangled dugout phone. This was a funny reference to an incident in 2013.

Ortiz batting against the Yankees in September 2016 during the final week of his career

On May 14, Ortiz hit a walk-off double. It was his 20th career walk-off hit. This double was his 600th career double. He became only the 15th player ever to reach this milestone. He also joined Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds as one of only three players with at least 500 home runs and 600 doubles.

On October 2, before his final game, the Red Sox announced they would retire his uniform number 34. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced that a bridge in Boston would be named after Ortiz.

Ortiz's great play helped the Red Sox make the playoffs. But they lost in the first round. After the final game, Ortiz waved goodbye to the Boston fans in a tearful moment. On October 26, he won his second Hank Aaron Award. He was also named Best Hitter for the third time.

Career Statistics

Ortiz was also very good in the postseason. In 85 playoff games, he batted .289. He had 22 doubles, 2 triples, 17 home runs, and 61 RBIs.

Life After Playing

Analyst and Podcast Host

Ortiz on Fox Sports before the 2018 ALDS

In October 2017, Ortiz joined MLB on Fox. He became a part-time sports analyst for their baseball coverage. He returned as a full-time analyst in 2019.

In 2018, Ortiz hosted a podcast called David Ortiz: The Big Papi Story. He talked about his life and career.

Personal Life

Ortiz's nickname "Big Papi" came from his habit of calling everyone "Papi." Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy gave him the nickname.

On June 11, 2008, Ortiz became a United States citizen. This happened in Boston.

Ortiz is a big fan of the Boston Celtics basketball team. He even helped convince NBA player Al Horford to join the Celtics.

Family and Tributes

Every time Ortiz hit a home run, he would point both index fingers to the sky. This was a tribute to his mother, Angela Rosa Arias. She passed away in a car crash in 2002. Ortiz also has a tattoo of his mother on his arm.

Ortiz and his wife, Tiffany, have three children. His wife is from Wisconsin. In April 2013, Ortiz announced he and his wife were separating. But they later got back together. They live in Miami. Ortiz also has a home in the Dominican Republic. His younger son, David Andres, lives there with his mother.

Ortiz's daughter, Alex, is a singer. She goes by "Alex Veda." She sang the national anthem at a Red Sox game in 2016. She also sang at her father's Hall of Fame induction in 2022. His son D'Angelo plays baseball. He was drafted by the Red Sox in 2024. Ortiz's youngest son, David Jr., signed with the Texas Rangers in 2024.

Business and Charity

Ortiz has had many endorsement deals. In 2007, Reebok released a baseball cleat named after him.

In 2009, Ortiz opened a nightclub called "Forty-Forty" in the Dominican Republic. He later settled a legal issue about the name.

In 2007, Ortiz started the David Ortiz Children's Fund. This charity helps children in Boston, the Dominican Republic, and other places. In 2008, he had a charity wine label called Vintage Papi. The money from it went to his Children's Fund. In 2016, Ortiz became an ambassador for UNICEF Kid Power. In 2017, a comedy event for Ortiz raised $335,000 for his charity.

June 2019 Incident

On June 9, 2019, Ortiz was shot in East Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He was at a bar. He was shot in the back. He had a long surgery. Part of his intestines and colon were removed. His gallbladder was also removed. He also had liver damage. A friend with him was also hurt.

On June 10, Ortiz was flown to Boston for more treatment. He had another surgery. He was released from the hospital on July 26, 2019. He had a third surgery during his recovery. He made his first public appearance on September 9, throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park.

Police arrested several people in connection with the shooting. They said the attack was planned. It was later found that Ortiz was shot by mistake. The shooter was supposed to target someone else. But a blurry photo led them to shoot Ortiz instead.

Hall of Fame and Legacy

On July 30, 2009, there were reports that Ortiz was on a list of players who allegedly tested positive for certain substances in 2003. This was during a survey test. The results were supposed to be private. Ortiz denied using any banned substances. He said it might have been from supplements.

On October 2, 2016, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said it was "entirely possible" Ortiz did not test positive. He said there were "legitimate scientific questions" about the tests. He added that Ortiz had never tested positive since official testing began in 2004. He said it was unfair to judge Ortiz based on "leaks, rumors, innuendo."

As Ortiz last played in 2016, he became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022. On January 25, 2022, Ortiz was elected to the Hall of Fame. He received 77.9% of the votes. He was the only player chosen by the Baseball Writers' Association of America that year. He was officially honored on July 24, 2022.

Career Highlights and Awards

Records and Achievements

• Red Sox single-season home run leader (54; 2006)
• Tied for all-time postseason consecutive on-base streak (10 in 2007)
• Tied World Series record with on-base streak of nine in a row
• First player ever to hit two walk-off home runs in the same postseason (2004)
• First player in Red Sox history to hit 40+ home runs in three straight seasons (2004–2006)
• Ten seasons of 30+ home runs (most in Red Sox history)
• Ten seasons of 100+ RBIs (most in Red Sox history)
• Ten seasons of 30+ home runs and 100+ RBIs (most in Red Sox history)

Special Distinctions

David Ortiz's number 34 was retired by the Boston Red Sox in 2017.

• 27th member of the 500 home run club
• One of four players with 500+ home runs and 3 World Series championships
• One of four players with 500+ home runs and 600+ doubles
• Most home runs by a player in his final season (38)

Annual Statistical Leader in the American League

Images for kids

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  Ortiz with the Boston Red Sox in 2013