Retired Red Sox star David Ortiz reiterated all season and continued promising after the fact that he has no intentions of playing again in 2017 or beyond. Could it be though that Boston’s monumental trade for Chicago White Sox Chris Sale on Tuesday has Big Papi rethinking his decision?

That’s the question we must pose based on Ortiz’s most recent Instagram post.

Ortiz’s caption reads: “My god my boy sale to Btown? You guys got me thinking.”

“Thinking” can be interpreted any number of ways, of course, but if Ortiz is seriously thinking about what Red Sox fans hope he’s thinking about, then now might be a good time for them to start praying.

In all likelihood though, Ortiz is just having a little fun with Red Sox fans. He’s said numerous times that his body is beaten up and that preparing for games had become an arduous task. Throughout his entire farewell tour he sounded like a guy who had come to terms with his health and was at peace with his decision, regardless of how the season ended.

Truth be told, the ending couldn’t have been any more disappointing. The Red Sox failed to even win a postseason game, let alone advance. For some players, that could be enough to rekindle the flame to some degree. And for some players, acquiring a pitcher like Chris Sale could be like lighting a candle with a blowtorch. But the reality is that Ortiz’s baseball playing days are more than likely behind him.

The Red Sox continued moving on Tuesday, signing Mitch Moreland to a one-year deal.

Now the baseball world must move on too, even as Ortiz continues flashing his charm.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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