Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz became the 27th member of the 500-home run club against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
Ortiz’s second home run of the game pushed the 39-year-old into the distinguished club, as MLB noted:
MLB provided the video of Ortiz’s historic blast, hit off Rays starter Matt Moore in the fifth inning:
MLB also shared video of Ortiz’s 499th home run earlier in the game:
As Big Papi was marching toward the milestone, Red Sox interim manager Torey Lovullo told Alec Shirkey of MLB.com this was something everyone in the dugout was excited about seeing play out:
It’s exciting for every one of us. He’s downplaying it in his typical David humble way to not make a distraction. He doesn’t want to make it about himself. He wants to make it about the team and how we’re playing right now, but it’s exciting for all of us to walk in every day.
It’s bigger than a lot of things that are happening right now, and it’ll be fun if he gets that 500th.
Ortiz is the first player to break the 500-home run barrier since Albert Pujols did so in April 2014. He is also the fourth player to hit the milestone wearing a Red Sox uniform.
Unlike previous Red Sox sluggers Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams and Manny Ramirez, who had built legendary resumes as soon as they arrived in Major League Baseball, Ortiz’s march toward 500 home runs was something no one saw coming.
The Minnesota Twins released him following the 2002 season, and he signed a free-agent deal with Boston in January 2003. He didn’t become an everyday starter in Boston’s lineup until June. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports weighed in on the value the Red Sox got from such a shrewd signing:
Former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein told the Boston Herald (h/t ESPN.com’s David Schoenfield) in early 2003 after Ortiz signed with the team that there seemed to be a good future for him with the franchise.
“I think, our scouts think and our analysis dictates that he has a really high ceiling,” Epstein said. “You’re looking at a player that has a chance to be an impact player in the middle of the lineup in the big leagues. That’s his ceiling and I hope he reaches it with us.”
Ortiz found his calling in Boston, exceeding even the most optimistic projection that Epstein or anyone else might have had for him. He’s hit at least 30 home runs in nine of 13 seasons with the Red Sox, made nine All-Star teams and has six top-10 AL MVP finishes.
In addition to all of his personal accolades, including the 500th homer celebration, he has helped lead the Red Sox to three World Series titles since arriving and was named MVP of the 2013 World Series after hitting .688 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Ortiz’s journey to 500 is even more remarkable because there were times when it looked like age was catching up to him. He had a .222/.317/.416 slash line in the first half of 2009 and a .231/.326/.435 mark at the break this season.
Adjustments have been a hallmark of Ortiz’s long-term success, as noted by Rick Rowand of Sons of Sam Horn, who pointed out around early June that he started to put more weight on his back (left) leg to maintain his balance and power throughout his swing.
Looking into Ortiz’s post-playing days, 16 members of the 500-homer club have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Frank Thomas helped break down a barrier in 2014, becoming the first player whose primary position was designated hitter to be enshrined in Cooperstown, New York.
Given the way Ortiz is going, even as he approaches age 40, it will be a long time before the Baseball Writers’ Association of America gets to put his name on a Hall of Fame ballot.
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