The Boston Red Sox and designated hitter David Ortiz are likely headed to salary arbitration, a source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Ortiz accepted salary arbitration from the Red Sox after hitting the open market, but the two sides haven't been able to make progress on contract talks.
If the two sides cannot reach an agreement by the hearing date, which is set in mid-February, they will plead their cases in front of a third-party arbitration panel. The 36-year-old Ortiz is asking for $16.5 million, but the Red Sox want to pay Ortiz the same $12.5 million salary as they did in 2011 once more.
Ortiz is one of the few full-time designated hitters remaining in the American League, but he's quite good at what he does. He hit .309/.398/.554 with 29 home runs in 605 plate appearances last season. As Morosi notes, the process will be uncomfortable for Ortiz and even the Red Sox. But, business is business and this is just apart of the baseball world.