The Red Sox have chosen to exercise their $12.5 million team option on David Ortiz, guaranteeing that the fan-favorite slugger will return to Boston for at least one more year according to a Ed Price tweet. It had been rumored that the team was willing to exercise Ortiz' option since early September.
Ortiz has made it clear recently that he would be much happier entering the season with a two-year contract, citing the insecurity he's felt recently after his slow starts. The Red Sox can still negotiate with Ortiz on a longer deal as the offseason progresses, though, so there's still the possibility that he will get what he wants.
The Red Sox have also chosen not to exercise their options on Bill Hall and Felipe Lopez. No surprise here, with Hall's costing $9.25 million and the Red Sox more interested in a possible compensatory pick than retaining Lopez' services.