In the last installment of our series about the most significant retirements of 2016, here’s a look at two sluggers who excelled in the majors and helped their teams win it all:
David Ortiz
After a 20-year career, 541 home runs, 2,472 hits, 1,768 RBIs , a career .286 batting average and 10 All-Star games, “Big Papi” played his last major-league on October 11.
The Dominican left quite a legacy in Boston as part of the Red Sox teams that won three World Series, including the one in 2004 that gave the team its first championship since 1918. That team broke the famous “Curse of the Bambino,” which was supposedly imposed on the team when Babe Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees in 1919.
Ortiz, winner of seven Silver Slugger awards, was named the MVP of the epic 2004 ALCS for his stellar performances against the New York Yankees.
The 10-time All-Star won the World Series MVP in 2013, when he hit 11-for-16 (.688) with a 1.948 OPS, two home runs and six RBIs against the Cardinals.
Ortiz , who led the American League in home runs in 2006 with 54, also led it three time in RBIs (2005, 2006 and 2016).
The Red Sox will retire Ortiz’s number in 2017, becoming the quickest of any former player in major-league history.
Mark Teixeira
Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira retired at the end of the season as he had announced at a press conference at Yankee Stadium on August 5.
Over a 14-season span the Maryland native was a three-time All-Star, won five Golden Glove awards, hit 409 home runs, batted in 1,298 runs and had a career average of .268 at bat.
Even though he debuted for the Texas Rangers in 2003 he arrived to the New York Yankees in 2009 and had an immediate impact on the club.
Texeira helped the “Bronx Bombers” reach and win the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies with his phenomenal all-around performances. That year he was the A.L home run leader with 39, won his third Golden Glove award, his third Silver Slugger award, was the A.L RBI leader (122) and was selected to his second All-Star game,
His 409 home runs rank him fifth in the all-time home run list among switch-hitters behind Mickey Mantle (536), Eddie Murray (504), Chipper Jones (468) and the still-active Carlos Beltran (421).
Short clip of an emotional Teixeira during the announcement his retirement:
