Sports

David Ortiz Jerseys Are Already Sold Out At The All-Star Game

July 12, 2016 / 11:58 AM EDT / CBS Boston

By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- Baseball fans nationwide are making one final push to get their hands on a David Ortiz jersey. And it appears that MLB underestimated Big Papi's merchandising power.

NESN's Gary Striewski is reporting live from San Diego for the All-Star Game at PETCO Park and tweeted that as of Monday night, vendors at the ballpark had already sold out of All-Star Game jerseys bearing Ortiz's name - and they didn't even have the materials to make more.

ASG vendors completely sold-out of Ortiz jerseys. Can't custom make em onsite either, ran out of 3's and 4's and letters. Game is tomorrow.
— Gary Striewski (@garystriewski) July 11, 2016

I did some high-level sleuthing on the MLB Shop and you can at least order an Ortiz jersey online. But fans going to the ballpark Tuesday night may be out of luck trying to get a No. 34.

Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., however, probably didn't get one.

JBJ on ASG jerseys:

'I'm glad I get to be IN one...and glad it's only just for a day'

That's an All-Star level joke, people
— Gary Striewski (@garystriewski) July 12, 2016

It should come as no surprise that Ortiz jerseys are in incredibly high demand - he's the highest-selling jersey period over the first half of the season. Dustin Pedroia also checks in with the 20th highest selling jersey.

Ortiz is sure to get plenty of spotlight at the All-Star Game itself, but the fact that his jerseys are selling so quickly shows how the 40-year-old is still one of the great ambassadors of the game and arguably the face of the sport, even as he rides off into the sunset.

Tuesday night will be almost as fun as next year when people with common sense defend Ortiz's Hall of Fame worthiness against people without souls.

Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.