The Boston Red Sox are absolutely hungry for postseason baseball. And when it comes to what that feels like, there’s no one who knows it better than Big Papi himself. David Ortiz didn’t just play in October—he owned it. The Hall of Fame-designated hitter made clutch moments a part of his DNA. His walk-offs? Legendary.

After three years of playoff disappointment, the Boston Red Sox are finally believing they have the roster to get back to October. But what’s even more encouraging? It looks like the moves the Red Sox have made to put themselves back in playoff contention have earned the seal of approval from none other than their former clutch hitter. 

In an interview with Tom Caron of NESN, Ortiz expressed his opinion as to why this is a different season for the Red Sox. When asked if he thought this team could make one more run in the playoffs, Ortiz wasted no time. “I think so,” said the Boston icon. “I’ll tell you, I always believe in teams that have good pitching. When you have good pitching, you can slow down offense, and you don’t need a whole lot of offense to be able to win games.”

“I think we’re back on track with the pitching that we have this year,” Ortiz confidently stated. The HOF recipient also weighed in on the two-time All-Star Alex Bregman. “You have Rafael Devers over there, who has been our third baseman for a long time, and then you have another great third baseman like Bregman,” the 49-year-old former baseball player explained. “You need to have both of them in the lineup. Hopefully, the organization and the players get to be in sync.” Besides the players Ortiz is bringing up, let’s not forget his son was drafted into the very same club just last year.

D’Angelo Ortiz follows in his father’s footsteps 

One of the most exciting moments of last year included the continued legacy of not one but two baseball families on the last day of the draft! In the 17th round, outfielder Lucas Ramirez was selected by the Los Angeles Angels. Those who closely follow this sport might recognize the name because Lucas is the son of Manny Ramirez. Yes, that’s right. Lucas is the son of a 12-time All-Star and perhaps one of the most exciting hitters in the history of the MLB.

But the draft had its unique moment for the Red Sox Nation. The Boston Red Sox took D’Angelo Ortiz, son of Hall of Famer David Ortiz, in the 19th round. The younger Ortiz now has his chance to continue the legacy of his father and become popular in the same organization that made Big Papi a beloved figure. Isn’t that great? But do not worry, there was no nepotism in play. In fact, the Red Sox director of amateur scouting did clarify on that issue.

“We just felt like it was a good add to the organization,” said Devin Pearson when discussing the team’s selection of D’Angelo Ortiz in the 19th round. “It’s a plus that his dad is David Ortiz, but we drafted him as a prospect.” While the name Ortiz certainly carries weight in Boston, Pearson made it clear that the decision to draft D’Angelo wasn’t just about the family legacy.