Red Sox: David Ortiz shares his favorite grilling tips and recipe
David Ortiz wants you to try his fish and caprese salad recipe.
Red Sox great David Ortiz has a long history as a cook, dating back to cooking with his mother in the Dominican Republic.
Naturally, when he shared a house with fellow minor league players before he became the “Big Papi” we know today, Ortiz was designated as the chef.
Now retired since 2016 following a 20-year career, he has plenty of time to perfect his time with a grill.
In a post and video at The Players’ Tribune, Ortiz shared a recipe for Tuna Steak, Halibut, Basmati Rice& Caprese Salad.
"When I move to the States and become Big Papi, I have a big grill at my house. But sometime, when I cook on it, I wish I was back in the Dominican. Throwing fresh fish on the grill always bring me back home, no matter where I’m at. But there is nothing like actually being back on the island and eating good food with all my people."
The recipe he shared looks both delicious and simple to make.
Will David Ortiz make the Hall of Fame?
David Ortiz was elected to the Red Sox Hall of Fame, but he won’t be eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame for another two years, until voting is held in 2022. Still, it’s never too early to think about his chances of being enshrined in Cooperstown.
The first thought has to go that he’s certainly a Hall of Famer. It’s hard to think about the last 20 years of baseball without Ortiz being a key player.
A 10-time All-Star, with three World Series titles including a World Series MVP award, along with seven Silver Slugger awards, Ortiz’s trophy shelves are full.
He tallied 55 WAR, per Baseball Reference, finishing his career with a glamorous .931 OPS (141 OPS+). He hit 541 home runs and drove in 1768 runs.
But one way of measuring Hall of Fame chances in a single stat, Jay Jaffe’s JAWs, based on both career peak WAR and total WAR, shows Ortiz might not be a shoo-in.
His seven-year peak totaled 35 WAR, while the average Hall of Fame first baseman sits at 42.7. His JAWs score is 45.3 vs. the average Hall of Fame first baseman’s 54.8.
So, maybe it’s not a lock.
Still, the first gut thought is probably the right one here. You can’t tell MLB’s story without Ortiz’s boisterous smile and feared bat being a key player on the stage.