Big Papi's ballpark tour: Tracking David Ortiz's farewell season

BySCOTT LAUBER
May 31, 2016, 5:07 PM

— -- Editor's note: We'll be tracking Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz's final major league journey all season long. Check back here for highlights, recaps and photos from his last stop at each stadium.

David Ortiz is ready to say goodbye.

Never mind that the iconic Boston Red Sox designated hitter has averaged 31 home runs and a .931 OPS over the past six seasons, remaining every bit the feared middle-of-the-order hitter he was in his prime. At age 40, Big Papi is intent on putting down his bat and retiring after this season. This sets up a farewell tour the likes of which we saw for New York Yankees legends Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

From Ortiz's first career home run with the Minnesota Twins in 1997 to his 500th last September, he has made memories nearly everywhere he has played. And he has become larger than life in Boston, the only link left among the 2004, 2007 and 2013 World Series championships, and the straight-shooting slugger who spoke for a city after the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013.

Here, we will document his stops on his last trek around the majors, remembering all the highlights he has created along the way.

Best of Big Papi: Not much to choose from, considering the Astros were in the National League until 2013. But Papi did clear the bases with a double on July 11, 2014, part of a three-game series in which he notched six RBIs.

Ballpark figures: 2 HRs, 13 RBIs, .323 BA in 18 games