The remarkable David Ortiz passed another milestone on Friday night. The Boston Red Sox designated hitter doubled in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals, giving Ortiz 625 career doubles, surpassing the great Hank Aaron for 10th on the all-time list.
David Ortiz passes Hank Aaron in career doubles
Big Papi leads majors in doubles at age 40.
Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images
Ortiz is having arguably the finest farewell tour in major league history. He announced he would retire at season’s end, but is headed out at the very top of his game. Entering Friday he led the majors in OPS, slugging percentage and doubles, hitting .321/.411/.636 with 30 home runs and 100 RBI. It’s the 10th 30-100 season in his illustrious career.
Anytime you can pass Hank Aaron on any list, you know you’ve done something quite well. Ortiz is taking his place among all-time baseball royalty.
And it wouldn’t have been possible without such a tremendous season at age 40. Before this season the record for doubles by a player in his age-40 season or older was 35, by Sam Rice way back in 1930.
Ortiz hit his 35th double of 2016 on July 23.
Honus Wagner is ninth on the all-time doubles list with 643, a seemingly unattainable goal for Ortiz. He’s still 18 doubles away with just 33 games left after the Friday game still in progress.
But I’m not putting anything past Big Papi. Not in his farewell season.
