Former Boston Red Sox designated hitter and 10-time American League All-Star David Ortiz didn’t need to take the field at Dodger Stadium to take over the live FOX broadcast.
Ortiz, a FOX Sports Major League Baseball studio analyst, conducted a series of brief in-game interviews as he made his way around the AL dugout in the fifth inning of Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game.
“Big Papi’s En La Casa,” Ortiz’s segment, saw the Red Sox legend speak with nearly the entire AL team, starting off with Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera.
“You know I’m gonna see you in Cooperstown in a couple of years from now, right,” Ortiz to Cabrera as he stood on the on-deck circle.
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker was next to get a moment with Ortiz. “Hey, Dusty… Can you put me in, man? I can go deep for you,” he told the 1981 World Series champion.
“I know you can go deep. I’m gonna save you ’til the 9th, just in case we’re behind,” Baker replied.
Continuing to make his way along the dugout, Ortiz made a stop by New York Yankees power bats Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge. Ortiz didn’t shy away at letting the Yankees front office know how he felt about the Judge contract chatter. “Hey, Aaron… all I gotta say is… pay the man,” he said to Judge.
Ortiz didn’t stop there — making his way to Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah.
“How do you pitch me?” Ortiz asked Manoah, fresh off his scoreless All-Star inning in which he struck out three.
“How do I pitch you? I’m probably coming a little high and tight, get you off the plate,” Manoah replied.
“Man, I’ll take you deep! I’m outta here,” Ortiz said before making his way out of the dugout and closing his segment.
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