David Ortiz will be part of FOX Sports’ coverage of the MLB playoffs, only four months after being critically injured in a nightclub shooting in his native Dominican Republic.
Ortiz’s on-camera postseason debut came Friday afternoon, and he was welcomed back to the set with a hug from foil-turned-friend Alex Rodriguez.
FOX Sports shared the heartwarming-but-whimsical moment between A-Rod and Big Papi, which came during its pregame coverage of Game 1 of the ALDS showdown between the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays.
“Thank you for having me, thanks to all the fans who stuck with me, man,” Ortiz said. “All the prayers, everything, it was great. Thank you very much.”
Ortiz was struck in the lower abdomen in the attack on June 9. A bullet tore through his gallbladder, intestines and liver. Ortiz underwent an emergency six-hour surgery that is believed to have saved his life.
Ortiz then spent a considerable amount of time in a Boston hospital after being transported from the Dominican Republic after the shooting, undergoing three additional surgeries before being finally released on July 26.
Until just recently, Ortiz maintained a relatively low profile upon returning home, but he did tease his return to the spotlight earlier this week.
That’s all about to change now that he’s back in the analyst’s chair alongside his pal A-Rod to cover the playoffs. It goes without saying it’s good to see Big Papi back to his old self.
More must-reads: