David Ortiz says Red Sox owner John Henry remains deeply invested in turning around Boston’s disappointing season, revealing that Henry recently shared a vision for returning the franchise to what Ortiz called “the old days.”
Speaking after what he said was a recent conversation with Henry, Hall of Famer Ortiz â a Red Sox legend who played key roles on three of the four Red Sox World Series winners in the Henry era â offered a rare glimpse into the owner’s thinking as frustration mounts among fans and questions continue to swirl about the direction of the Red Sox. Ortiz, better known to Red Sox fans as “Big Papi,” said Henry’s focus remains on restoring the culture and expectations that once helped make Boston one of baseball’s model organizations.
Boston is 25-33, last in the AL East â 12 games back of the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays.
‘Big Papi’ Reveals Henry’s Concern for Red Sox
GettyRed Sox owner John Henry is “worried” about the team, Hall of Famer David Ortiz said Monday.
Ortiz made the comments during his celebrity golf tournament, the David Ortiz Soiree of Hearts, in Newton, Massachusetts, where he spoke to The Associated Press.
“He’s worried. We had a conversation. I can see. I’ve known John a long time, him and the whole team â him and (chairman) Tom Werner, the whole group, they’re working on figuring things out to get this ride better,” Ortiz told the AP.
He said Henry’s placid and unemotional public demeanor causes fans to underestimate how much the owner is paying attention.
“The thing is, you see John, and John is someone that he manages his emotions really well. He’s very professional at everything he does. Sometimes, for people, it’s hard for them to understand that part of (him), but he’s worried,” Ortiz said, as quoted by Fox Sports.
“He knows the direction of this team and he’s worried about the team’s situation more than what people think he is,” Ortiz added.
The 76-year-old Henry, who partnered with chairman Tom Werner to buy the club in 2002, has not appeared at a team press conference since Boston traded Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.
Red Sox Owner Eyes Return to Championship Formula
Ortiz said Henry’s stated goal is straightforward.
“I sat down to talk to John, and he wants to figure it out. He wants to have the formula to go back to the old days,” Ortiz said. “It’s not like he just gives up. Sometimes people don’t understand that the way that this game goes, that it’s hard to stay up there.”
The “old days” Ortiz invoked span the Henry group’s defining era â four World Series titles between 2004 and 2018. The 2004 championship ended an 86-year drought. Boston repeated the feat with championships in 2007 and 2013, then closed the run with the 2018 crown, the franchise’s most recent.
The club fired manager Alex Cora and five coaches in April. Former Triple-A manager Chad Tracy took over on an interim basis. Last month a plane circled Fenway Park towing a banner demanding ownership sell the team.
Ortiz pushed back on any suggestion Henry has checked out.
“When you worry, you worry about everything in general. You worry about the team, you worry about the fans and you worry about how everything is moving around,” Ortiz said. “I tell you, the boss is, he’s working, he’s working. He’s working on putting the pieces that moving forward things get better around here.”
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