David Ortiz will not participate in Home Run Derby 2016

David Ortiz is having himself one hell of a final year, but this year will not include an appearance in the Home Run Derby

You might not have expected it coming into the 2016 Major League Baseball season, but Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz is one of the more productive players in all the game in his final year. With this being his retirement tour, many have been clamoring to see him take part in one more Home Run Derby before he hangs up the spikes for good.

Sadly, this will not be the case.

According to WEEI in Boston on Wednesday, Ortiz dropped the news that he will be enjoying part of his All-Star break by not taking part in the Home Run Derby, while keeping himself healthy at the same time.

“No, because I have so many things going on over there when I go,” Ortiz said. “It’s going to be crazy. The Home Run Derby wears you out. I would like to, but I’ve got so many things lined up. It’s too much.”

There might be some great hitters participating in the contest in San Diego next month, but Big Papi will not be one of them.

Really, though, you can’t blame him at all. At 40 years old in his final season, Ortiz is hitting .337 with 18 home runs and 63 runs driven in. Again, he’s one of the more productive players in the game this year, something most players in their final year generally aren’t.

Right now the Red Sox are currently in second place in the American League East, 4.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles, so you can see why Ortiz would want to keep himself healthy for a potential postseason run in the second half of the year.

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