Johnny Damon Reveals David Ortiz’s Plans for Retirement

Photo by Getty Images for Mohegan Sun

If you’re wondering how David Ortiz plans to spend his retirement, his friend and former teammate Johnny Damon might have some insight.

The ex-Red Sox star and his wife Michelle Mangan hung out with Big Papi at Mohegan Sun during their pal’s first weekend away from baseball. Damon admitted at an event on Saturday night that Ortiz plans to take things easy with his time off.

“We were just with him last night,” Damon said. “I think David pretty much knows what he wants to do. He wants to relax.”

Apparently relaxing includes walking red carpets and hitting blackjack tables with superstars like Kevin Hart.

While Big Papi still has a lot of love for the game, don’t expect him to blow off steam by going to the batting cages every now and then, according to Damon. He revealed that Ortiz probably won’t pick up a bat again since the temptation to make a comeback would be too great.

“He’s not going to pick up the baseball bat because, once he does, he’s going to have that urge to come back,” Damon said. “He’s just going to enjoy retirement. We’re going to see him every now and then.”

“But what a great career,” he added. “He’s been such a great friend of ours.”