David Ortiz was the last Boston Red Sox player ever to wear No. 34, and the club will make that official this summer.
The Red Sox announced Thursday they will retire Ortiz’s number on June 23 in a pregame ceremony ahead of their night contest against the Los Angeles Angels. A plaque of Ortiz’s No. 34 will join the 10 other retired Red Sox numbers on the right field facade at Fenway Park.
The team cemented Big Papi’s place in franchise history even before he retired, surprising the Red Sox slugger in the 2016 regular season finale by revealing it will retire his number during the 2017 season.
That news, of course, squashes any hope Red Sox fans — and Pedro Martinez — might have had of Ortiz making one final comeback in 2017. The 41-year-old repeatedly has said his career is over despite putting up incredible numbers during his final major league campaign, and June 23 will bring closure to Ortiz’s incredible career in Boston.
The Dominican Republic native won three World Series titles with the Red Sox, hitting 483 of his 541 career home runs during his 14-year tenure in Boston and finishing as the club’s all-time leader in walk-off home runs, with 10.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
