With only a few months left in his illustrious career, David Ortiz continues to lobby the Boston Red Sox to replace him with Edwin Encarnacion after he retires.
Following his early departure from Tuesday's All-Star Game at Petco Park, Ortiz reiterated that the Red Sox should go out this winter and sign the Toronto Blue Jays' taciturn slugger (who, as it happens, pinch-ran for Ortiz and went 0-for-1 with a walk in the 87th Midsummer Classic).
"The Red Sox know also they need to bring a force in the middle of the lineup (after I retire),'' Ortiz told reporters after also going 0-for-1 with a walk in a 4-2 American League victory. "And sorry, Blue Jays, but who better than Encarnacion to do that?''
Encarnacion, 33, has been linked to the Red Sox for months, and the impending free agent with the .917 OPS since 2012 has raked at Fenway Park throughout his career, hitting .296/.373/.547 with 14 homers in 47 games in Boston.
"Surprised me, nice that people like Ortiz think about me like that," said Encarnacion, who boasts a 1.121 OPS since June 1.
Ortiz isn't only thinking about the future of the Red Sox, though. With his club clinging to a wild-card spot at the break despite their languishing rotation, the 40-year-old also expressed his desire for Boston to trade for Jose Fernandez, the Miami Marlins ace who vowed to take it easy on Ortiz in Tuesday's exhibition only to renege on his promise.
"He has incredible stuff," Ortiz said. "I thought he was gonna end up playing with me this year. I mean, you never know. I want him in my starting rotation. I mean, we need a little bit of help and hopefully that happens at some point, who knows?"
