The Baltimore Orioles are set to face off against the Red Sox in their home opener at Fenway Park on Monday, April 11th.

Among the Red Sox roster is twenty-four year veteran and thirteen-year Sox player David Ortiz, who has assisted in three World Series wins since his signing. His game four walk-off home run in the ‘04 ALCS against the New York Yankees incited a record-setting comeback from a 3-0 deficit. The team then went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, 4-0.

Late last fall, the 40-year-old Ortiz announced his retirement.

Preparations for his departure have already begun, such that various dedications to his name have been made. The team has named a road in Fenway South after Ortiz, and then presented him with seats from each of the three spring training stadiums he played in. Some call for his number to be retired, and even more that he be inducted to the MLB Hall of Fame.

But such preparations extend beyond cosmetic homages. The team’s subpar performance, finishing last in the past two seasons, is an unfit way to thank Ortiz for all he’s done.

Many question the club’s ability to even make the playoffs this season after a finish like last year’s, but inspiration can go a long way. In the midst of the Boston bombing in 2013, Ortiz stood in front of the stadium and country, dropping f-bombs and contriving momentum.

The Sox rode that momentum all the way to the top: a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals crowned Boston once again as the World Series Champions. If there’s anything to say about the Sox, it’s that they’re fighters for the cause.

David Ortiz is good a cause as any.

A complete revamp of the pitching staff has brought ace David Price into the mix, contracted for seven years. With his addition, the bullpen will hopefully perform as it had before Jon Lester left.

Whether or not the Red Sox push through to win another title, they’re no doubt going to give David Ortiz one hell of a final season.