Big Papi to join FOX World Series broadcast team for first 2 games

NEW YORK — Three-time world champion David Ortiz will return to the World Series as an analyst for FOX, which starts on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

FOX said Thursday that the Red Sox slugger will be on the pre- and postgame shows for Games 1 and 2, on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22. He'll appear alongside Frank Thomas, Nick Swisher and Gabe Kapler on the set.

''Big Papi'' won a World Series ring with Boston last year, and has a .455 batting average in 14 career World Series game.

Games 1 and 2 will be played Tuesday and Wednesday at Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium.

Games 3 through 5 — 5 if necessary — will be played at the winner of the NLCS on Oct. 24 through 26. 

The final two games, if necessary, would be played at Kansas City.

Ortiz was the 2013 World Series MVP, hitting .688 (11 for 16) with two doubles, two homers, six RBI and eight walks as the Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals four games to two.

It was his third World Series title, also winning with the Red Sox in 2004 and '07. In 14 World Series games, Ortiz owns a .455 batting average (20 for 44) with three homers, 14 RBI and 14 walks.

Ortiz, who turns 39 on Nov. 18, is a career .285 hitter with 466 homers and 1,533 RBI. He made his major-league debut with the Minnesota Twins in 1997, playing there through 2002 before signing a free-agent deal with the Red Sox in January 2003.