BOSTON — David Ortiz apparently is intent on reaching all of the milestones in his final Major League Baseball season.
The Red Sox designated hitter already is in the midst of a terrific 2016 campaign, and he added to that Wednesday in his first at-bat by hitting an absolute laser off Texas Rangers left-hander Martin Perez deep into the Fenway Park bleachers.
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Ortiz’s two-run blast, projected at 416 feet, was his 20th homer of the season, meaning the 40-year-old slugger has now tallied 20 long balls or more in 15 consecutive seasons, dating to his 2002 campaign with the Minnesota Twins.
That feat puts him in pretty elite company, as only five other players in MLB history have hit 20 or more homers in 15 straight seasons or more.
That’s not a bad list of company.
Ortiz, who just earned his 10th career All-Star nod, also brought his season RBI total up to 68 on that homer, good for second in the American League behind Toronto Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion.
In short, Big Papi still can rake, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
