David Ortiz: Pedro Martinez is 'the most loyal guy I've ever met in baseball'

After hitting the 500th home run of his career earlier this month, the case to keep Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz out of the Baseball Hall of Fame becomes tougher to build.

But in his 19th major-league season, the slugger says his success may not have been possible without his former teammate and fellow Dominican, Pedro Martinez.

Ortiz thought his professional baseball career was over after being released by the Minnesota Twins after the 2002 season - until he ran into Martinez at a restaurant in Santo Domingo, according to a piece published by The Player's Tribune on Wednesday.

When Ortiz told him about his situation, Martinez replied, "Oh my God. This is amazing."

Martinez then walked out with his cellphone and returned to say he'd called Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and recommended Boston sign Ortiz for the upcoming season. Ortiz couldn't understand what his compatriot saw in him, until Martinez explained:

"Listen, you're a great hitter. You know how I know? I threw you a cutter last season, high and inside. I threw it perfect - 92 miles an hour, jam-city. And you smashed it in the upper deck."

"Big guys never have the speed to turn on a pitch like that," Martinez added. "I throw the inside cutter to big guys every time. You're the only one who's ever hit a home run off that pitch. You're coming with me to Boston, homie."

The pair went on to end an 86-year World Series drought in Boston just two seasons later, and Ortiz helped the Red Sox clinch two more titles in 2007 and 2013.

Now a nine-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger, it's hard to imagine what may have become of "Big Papi" if he never ran into the three-time Cy Young winner 13 years ago.

"I'm a World Series champion because of Pedro," Ortiz wrote. "He is the most loyal guy I've ever met in baseball. He cares about everybody."