Red Sox, David Ortiz Agree On Two-Year Deal

The Red Sox have re-signed David Ortiz, bringing him back for two more years.

The deal is reportedly worth $26 million, with incentives potentially driving it up to $30 million according to Rob Bradford. A hefty price tag to pay for a designated hitter these days, but for a team that just dumped as much payroll as the Red Sox did, it amounts to little in the greater scheme of things. The Sox will have a tough time spending all the money available to them, so finding a way to allocate $13 million of it a year to an impact player like Papi is certainly worthwhile.

The question will be whether or not Ortiz is healthy going forward. While his heel injury doesn't exactly carry with it the same threat as the wrist injury that likely sapped Ortiz' production in 2008 and 2009, the fact that it just wouldn't go away as the season headed towards the bitter end is at least a bit concerning.

Still, if the Sox are signing Ortiz this quickly, it means they're probably pretty sure about his health. And if Ortiz is healthy, he's a force to be reckoned with.

It's been a few contentious years for the Sox and Ortiz when it comes to contract negotiations. Getting hung up on years, hung up on dollars, having options exercised when that wasn't exactly a mutual decision...It's good to see the face of the franchise on the same page with the club. It appears more than likely now that David Ortiz will retire as a Red Sox, and that's how it should be.