Ortiz to return to Boston in 2016
Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz said he will return to the team next season after reaching a vesting clause in his contract.
Ortiz met the requirement with his 425th plate appearance this season on his first at-bat against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night, guaranteeing a base salary of $11 million in 2016.
Ortiz doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Travis Shaw in the second inning. Ortiz hit his 23rd home run in the sixth and singled home two more runs in the seventh in Boston’s 7-6 loss in Detroit.
“It means I’m going to be here next year,” Ortiz said after the game. “Nothing different. When I signed this contract, I think as you’re getting older you’ve got to earn things. Different than just getting away with things when you are younger. We agreed on that. I think I earned it, and come back next year.”
Ortiz, who is hitting .247 with 65 RBIs this season, agreed with the way the contract was structured.
“I don’t want to put the team on the spot,” said Ortiz, who turns 40 on Nov. 18. “I don’t want to put myself on the spot, either. That’s why we agreed to that, and I think it’s fair.”
Ortiz is on a pace to finish the season with 626 plate appearances. If he reaches 600 plate appearances, his 2016 salary would match the $16 million he is being paid in 2015, according to ESPN.com. Ortiz’s contract calls for him to be paid $12 million for 475 plate appearances, $13 million for 525, $14 million for 550, and $15 million for 575. There is a similar vesting option for 2017 built into his 2016 contract.
