New York Yankees vs the Boston Red Sox are a century-old rivalry. With each passing year, it is only getting stronger. Given their rivalry, it is a rare sight when a Yankee or Red Sox player praises their opponent. And the Red Sox legend, David Ortiz, has broken the barrier to appreciating a rival legend.

With a career that spanned over 20 years, David Ortiz has won everything in baseball. The Dominican-American designated hitter was part of the revolutionary Red Sox team. During his 20-year-long career, Ortiz faced hundreds of pitchers in the ballparks. But when asked about the best slider he faced, Ortiz took the name of a former Yankees pitcher.

Yes! Out of all the pitchers, the Red Sox legend believes that the former Yankees pitcher, CC Sabathia, had the best slider in the game. The two have played almost 16 years of baseball against each other. Recently, the Red Sox legend confessed this on a podcast show.

CC Sabathia’s slider troubled David Ortiz the most

Sabathia and Ortiz were two of the best performers for their respective teams. Ortiz has won three World series with the Boston Red Sox, while Sabathia also won the ring for the New York Yankees. Given his immense contribution to the team, MLB honored Ortiz with the Hall of Fame this year.

Trending

Exclusive: NFL Draft Prospect Cooper DeJean Reveals a Connection to Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Deion Sanders

April 26, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

Who Is Yankees Skipper Aaron Boone’s Wife? Know More About Laura Cover

January 30, 2024 01:00 PM EST

Joe Espada Is Astros’ Scapegoat? ESPN Analyst Calls Out José Abreu, Alex Bregman for Letting Down Their Manager

April 26, 2024 01:30 PM EDT

“She Misses Me”: Shohei Ohtani Breaks Silence On Staying Away From Wife Mamiko Tanaka

April 26, 2024 01:00 PM EDT

As Shohei Ohtani Delivers With the Bat, Teammate Will Smith Claims He Should Not Focus On Pitching: “Pretty Premature”

April 25, 2024 06:00 PM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest MLB stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Recently, when Ortiz appeared on the R2C2 podcast, he praised his former rival, CC Sabathia. He said the former Yankees pitcher had the best slider among all the left-hand pitchers he had faced.

Billionaire Elon Musk Once Reacted to Shohei Ohtani Pulling Up to Spring Training in a Brand New Tesla Model X

“CC had the best slider I had ever seen coming from a left-hander until the last day he pitched… He had a way to slow you down with a slider or find you hard with it…,” Ortiz said.

Respecting his guest on the podcast, Sabathia also complimented Ortiz for being one of the most patient hitters of the game.

“He was so patient. And He made you throw fastballs over the plate. Our counts were always deep,” Sabathia said.

Sabathia and Ortiz in MLB

Talking about their baseball career, Sabathia was one of the most consistent pitchers in Major League Baseball. he collected 3093 strikeouts during his 19 years of a baseball career. Debuted in the 2001 season, Sabathia played his last game in 2019.

WATCH THIS STORY: Pitchers Nightmare Shohei Ohtani And Mike Trout Partnership Puts On A Home Run Blasting Show

Ortiz, on the other hand, was one of the cleanest hitters in the game. He made his MLB debut for the Minnesota Twins in 1997, and bid farewell to the game in the 2016 season.

The two indeed had illustrious careers for themselves. What is your opinion on Ortiz saying Sabathia had the best slider?