The Boston Red Sox signed David Ortiz to a two-year, $26 million contract last offseason.
There is a clause that increases his base $11 million salary for 2014 to $15 million if he spent 20 days or fewer on the disabled list this season.
Ortiz began the season on the DL, but spent just 15 days there and didn't return.
"Whoever made that move made a smart move,'' Ortiz said. "It's a poker game they like to play with every player. There was nobody in free agency they could have brought in. What were we going to do, give $125 million to [Josh] Hamilton just to go through what he's gone through?
"Once we get caught up again in the heat of the season, all you're going to see is the guy who got it done before, trying to get it done again.''
Via Gordon Edes/ESPN