Red Sox to retire Boggs' No. 26 in May

Wade Boggs, the five-time batting champion and eventual Hall of Fame inductee who spent 11 years in the middle of Boston's lineup, will have his No. 26 retired by the Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 26.

"I am so humbled and honored to be among the greatest legends to ever put on a uniform for the amazing city of Boston," said Boggs. "To say that your number will never be worn again is the highest honor an athlete can receive. Thank you."

Originally selected by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the 1976 draft, Boggs made his debut in Boston six years later and immediately established himself as one of the game's premier hitters. In his first eight seasons with the Red Sox, Boggs never hit below .325 or posted an on-base percentage below .406, leading the league in on-base plus slugging in both 1987 and 1988 despite his below-average power.

"Wade Boggs was the best third baseman in Red Sox history and one of the best hitters of his generation," Red Sox principal owner John Henry said in a statement. "Whether it was his legendary hand-eye coordination or the discipline of his highly superstitious routine, his ability to hit line drive after line drive was remarkable. We congratulate our first-ballot Hall of Famer on this recognition."

Boggs, an All-Star a dozen times in his 18-year career, ranks third in Red Sox history in both offensive wins above replacement (63) and on-base percentage (.428). His tenure with the Red Sox ended after the 1992 campaign, when he signed with the New York Yankees, but the popular third baseman notched another 912 hits outside Boston and became the 23rd member of the 3,000-hit club on Aug. 7, 1999, as a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Brock Holt, the popular utility man who has worn Boggs' number since arriving in Boston in 2013, will switch to No. 12 this season, according to MLB.com's Ian Browne.