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Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz homered twice on Saturday, giving him 34 on the season and -- far more importantly -- 500 in his career. That means he's the 27th man in baseball history to join the exclusive 500 Home Run club.
Here is the historic shot:
Here are where things stand in the club (active players in italics):
1. Barry Bonds, 762
2. Hank Aaron, 755
3. Babe Ruth, 714
4. Alex Rodriguez, 684
5. Willie Mays, 660
6. Ken Griffey Jr., 630
7. Jim Thome, 612
8. Sammy Sosa, 609
9. Frank Robinson, 586
10. Mark McGwire, 583
11. Harmon Killebrew, 573
12. Rafael Palmeiro, 569
13. Reggie Jackson, 563
14. Albert Pujols, 555
14. Manny Ramirez, 555
16. Mike Schmidt, 548
17. Mickey Mantle, 536
18. Jimmie Foxx, 534
19. Willie McCovey, 521
19. Frank Thomas, 521
19. Ted Williams, 521
22. Ernie Banks, 512
22. Eddie Mathews, 512
24. Mel Ott, 511
25. Gary Sheffield, 509
26. Eddie Murray, 504
27. David Ortiz, 500
Ortiz, 39, was a late bloomer. He had just 38 homers through his age-25 season before hitting 20 as a 26 year old. Then the Twins let him go and the Red Sox reaped the rewards. He clubbed 31 homers in just 128 games in 2003 and the legend of Big Papi was born.
Ortiz would hit 41, 47 and 54 home runs, respectively, in 2004-06 for Boston. He saw a few dips (only hitting 23 in injury-shortened seasons in 2008 and 2012), but has now hit at least 30 home runs in each of the past three seasons, pushing him up to 500 career just before turning 40 years old.
Coincidentally, the last player to hit his 500th career homer was Albert Pujols, and he also did so with a two-homer game (April 22, 2014). The two are the only ones to ever get to 500 with a two-homer game.
The next closest active players to 500 are Adrian Beltre with 408 and Miguel Cabrera with 407.
