
[www.survivinggrady.com]
In 2003, Ortiz had his breakout season, and it almost didn’t happen. For the first two months or so of the season, he was mainly used as a pinch-hitter. All of that changed when he became the starting designated hitter over Jeremy Giambi. Despite playing inconsistently the first two months of the season, David finished with the numbers of someone who played all 162 games. He hit .288, with thirty-one home runs and 101 RBI. The Red Sox almost made it to the World Series that year, but fell short in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the rival Yankees of New York. Because of the large impact that Ortiz had on his team that year, he finished in fifth place in the Most Valuable Player (MVP) ballot.
The next year, 2004, was arguably the most important and remembered year for the Red Sox in franchise history. Eighty-six years before was the last time the Red Sox had won a World Series. After coming so close the year before to making it to baseball’s championship series, the Red Sox were more than eager to get back at the Yankees for ending their playoff hopes during the prior season. After a terrific campaign the year before, Ortiz somehow managed to top his heroics. He made his first career All-Star team and it was well-deserved; he hit .301, with forty-one home runs and 139 RBI. He also finished fourth in the MVP voting. While those numbers are phenomenal, he somehow eclipsed those in the playoffs. He went on a tear that postseason, hitting .409, with five home runs and twenty-three RBI. In the ALCS, it was a rematch of the series from a year before, with the Red Sox taking on the Yankees. After falling behind three games to none, it seemed as though the season was over for Boston. Ortiz had plans of his own. He hit walk-offs in both of the next two games. After the Red Sox ultimately won the series, Ortiz was given the honors of ALCS MVP, the first time that distinction was given to a designated hitter. After that, he continued his playoff surge in the World Series, hitting .308, as the Saint Louis Cardinals got swept by the Red Sox in four games. This was the first time the Red Sox had won the World Series since 1918, ending one of the longest championship droughts in all of sports.

[Boston Globe]
2006 was, unsurprisingly, another big year for Big Papi. This year he hit fifty-four home runs, both a personal and a club record. Not only that, but that is also the most ever in a season by a designated hitter. He also hit .287, with 137 RBI. He came in third in the MVP voting, which was a surprise to some, considering the records he broke that year. Also, he hit the 200th home run of his career at the age of thirty-one, and only 335 other people have done that in their entire careers.
Ortiz had another monster year in 2007, helping the Red Sox win their seventh World Series. He hit .332, which equates to almost one hit per three at bats. Besides that unusually high number for a power hitter, he hit thirty-five home runs and 117 RBI. Although he finished in “only” fourth in the MVP voting, he had yet another breathtaking playoff run. He hit .370, with three home runs and ten RBI. Even though he had put up better numbers in the past during the postseason, this was still enough to win the city of Boston its second World Series victory in four years.
To say that 2008 was an off-year for Ortiz would be true, but he still put up above-average numbers that year. He missed fifty-three games that season, so of course he was unable to put up the incredible numbers that were possibly unfairly expected of him. He hit .264, which while not his best, was still respectable. In addition to that, he hit twenty-three home runs and eighty-nine RBI.

[NESN]
In 2010, Ortiz had another amazing season. Finally healthy, Ortiz was able to produce in the same way he had, only a few years before. He hit thirty-two home runs that year, finishing in the top ten in the American League. In addition, he hit 102 RBI, also finishing in the top ten. He hit .270, a mark higher than the previous season and the one before that. Thanks to his display of power, he was chosen to participate in the Home Run Derby. He beat future teammate Hanley Ramírez, winning his first career derby.
2011 was another unbelievable year for Big Papi. He hit .309, ending his three-year drought of hitting below .300. He also hit twenty-nine home runs, and ninety-six RBI. During the season, he passed Edgar Martínez for the most career RBI for a designated hitter, getting his 1,004th RBI of his career. Ortiz also was the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award. This honor goes to the baseball player that “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.” This is a tremendous recognition, as only one player receives this award per year.
In 2012, David Ortiz hit his 400th career home run. This distinction is something he shares with only fifty-four other people. Only one other active player, the Angels’ Albert Pujols, has more than Ortiz. Despite playing only ninety games, Big Papi still had a great year. He kept his batting up that season, hitting .318. He also hit twenty-three home runs and got sixty RBI.

[Mass-Live.com]
In 2014, Ortiz proved himself to be a major run-producer, hitting .263, with thirty-five home runs and 104 RBI. Carl “Yaz” Yastrzemski also said that he considered Ortiz the second-best hitter in the history of the Red Sox. The Red Sox have been no stranger to electrifying hitters, including Ortiz, Yaz, and Ted Williams among others. It is important to note that Big Papi has the most career home runs of any Red Sox player. While Babe Ruth does have more career home runs, he played primarily as a pitcher for Boston.
In 2015, Ortiz had yet another big year at the plate. He hit .273, with thirty-seven home runs and 108 RBI. The “Franchise Four” is the name that was given to the players that were considered the best in the history of the Red Sox. The players given this honor were announced in 2015 and included: Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, Ted Williams, and Carl Yastrzemski. He also hit his 500th career home run, putting him in humbling company. Only twenty-five other players have ever reached this career landmark.

[fssta.com]

[PBS]