Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz was hospitalized after a man shot him in the back at a Dominican Republic club on Sunday. While the slugger has since undergone emergency surgery and is in stable condition, fans across the sports world have been overflowing with well wishes for "Big Papi," a beloved Boston icon and a married father of three.
One of those fans is Will Middlebrooks, a former MLB infielder who spent three seasons with Ortiz, won the 2013 World Series alongside the 10-time All-Star and, just this morning, spoke to Ortiz's wife, Tiffany, for updates on the three-time champion.
"He was like my big brother when I came up to the big leagues," Middlebrooks said on Monday's episode of "Kanell & Bell," before updating Ortiz's health. "He's stable, he's recovering, and it looks like everything's going to be OK. But like, what is going on? He should be, like, the president over there. He's like a god in the Dominican."
Middlebrooks is not the only recognizable name to sending his well wishes to Ortiz in the wake of the shooting. Everyone from old rivals, like Alex Rodriguez, to current MLB stars, like Mike Trout, have chimed in on social media since news of the Big Papi shooting spread: