David Ortiz helped his adopted city recover from the Boston Marathon bombings. Now the Boston Red Sox are calling on their fans to reciprocate for their beloved Big Papi.

"We all remember in 2013 when we needed David Ortiz the most, he was there for us,'' team president Sam Kennedy said Monday, a day after the longtime slugger was wounded in a nightclub shooting in his native Dominican Republic. "So it's appropriate and expected that his community would rally behind David when he needs us most.''

Ortiz, 43, was shot at a club in Santo Domingo. A team of surgeons operated on Ortiz for six hours and repaired damage done by the bullet to both intestines and his liver. They also had to remove Ortiz's gallbladder to work on the liver, though the gallbladder itself was not damaged.

"I didn't sleep very well last night,'' said Red Sox special assistant Jason Varitek, who was Ortiz's teammate for nearly a decade. "I don't think anybody did.''

The shooting occurred during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final and stole the city's attention from the Bruins' victory, as fans and former teammates stayed up into the morning hoping for information on Ortiz's condition. Longtime rivals turned to social media to offer their best wishes, and former Dominican president Leonel Fernandez visited Ortiz in the hospital.

"It shocked us to the core,'' Kennedy said. "It was jarring, stunning and, frankly, terrifying. It was a horrific incident. Our focus right now is exclusively to focus on his health and well-being [and] to get David back here in Boston.''

The Red Sox sent an air ambulance to the Dominican Republic to transport Ortiz to Boston, where he will continue his treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital. The plane landed Monday night while the Red Sox were playing the Texas Rangers.

The team asked fans to observe a moment of reflection shortly before Monday night's 4-3 loss to the Rangers at Fenway Park and posted a message on the videoboard: "We send our love to David Ortiz.'' In the sixth inning, fans broke out into cheers of "Papi!'' and cheered when pictures of fans in his No. 34 jersey were shown on the scoreboard.

Chris Sale, who started Monday's game for the Red Sox, said afterward that things felt a little different given the situation with Ortiz.

"Obviously, we're thinking about him," Price said. "We had a meeting before the game about it. He's as much a part of this team as anybody's ever been. Yesterday was a tough day and today too. I'm glad he's doing well and in good hands. Just hoping for the best and trying to get some wins for him. I know that'll make him happy, that's for sure."

"I just hope when he gets here that everything is fine, and we can see the big man here again with us and filling our room with joy,'' manager Alex Cora said. "He's bigger than life.''

A 10-time All-Star and the MVP of the 2013 World Series, Ortiz is one of the most productive -- and popular -- players in Red Sox history. He led the once-cursed franchise to three championships and retired in 2016 with a total of 541 home runs, 17th-most in baseball history.

"Somebody just asked me what my favorite memory was. And it's not all the home runs and game-winning hits that he's had and the World Series,'' Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello said. "It's how he embraces everyone in a room. Just that imposing, loving figure that makes everyone feel special. That's something that you don't see a lot. That's what separates him, for me.''

Ortiz further endeared himself to local fans when he went to the Fenway Park mound after the attacks at the marathon finish line and proclaimed, "This is our f---ing city!"

"Everyone knows what he was able to do on the field,'' said longtime New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who is now a Miami Marlins owner. "What he has meant to the community -- not only in Boston but in the Dominican -- this is a guy who is beloved throughout the sport and throughout sports in general.''

"He's obviously an icon on the Mount Rushmore in the city of Boston athletes, but he is 'the guy' in the Dominican Republic,'' Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero said. "He's more famous than any president. When people think of the Dominican Republic, they think David Ortiz, they think of Pedro Martinez.''

Albert Pujols, who has been close with Ortiz for years and also hails from the Dominican Republic, said the legendary slugger means "everything" in their native country.

"As a player, as a fellow Dominican, you don't see that. People really respect players over there, down in the DR," Pujols said. "It's just unfortunate. He was, I guess, in the wrong spot at the wrong time."

Said Mets second baseman Robinson Cano, another fellow Dominican: "[Ortiz is] an idol for all of us.''

Martinez joined his countrymen in offering prayers for Ortiz on social media Sunday night.

I'm at peace knowing you out of danger; you a strong man Compai, can't wait to hear your voice. My thoughts and prayers are with you, see you soon.
Me siento tranquilo de saber que estás fuera de peligro, usted es fuerte Compai, ya quiero oírle la voz. Orando, nos vemos pronto pic.twitter.com/jdSnNsM7eI

— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) June 10, 2019

Red Sox starter David Price played with Ortiz in his last season and said the Boston icon embraced him with open arms.

"I didn't want it to be anything about me and him. I wanted it to be all about him. And he didn't want it to be all about him. He wanted it to be about us as a team. So I've got nothing but love and respect for Big Papi, and he's well aware of that," Price said.

Mookie Betts echoed that sentiment Monday, saying that Ortiz made him feel welcome and at home in his rookie year.

"I can't speak for other people, but for me, he's like a big brother and a dad at the same time," Betts said.

The outpouring of support for Ortiz extended beyond his former teammates on Monday. President Barack Obama and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady were among those who sent well wishes.

Six years ago, David Ortiz's spirit and resolve helped us all begin to heal from the Boston Marathon bombing. Today, I want to join many others in wishing him a speedy recovery of his own. Get well soon, Papi. pic.twitter.com/9orpBgnVI5

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 10, 2019

Papi defines Boston Strong... get well soon my friend!!! pic.twitter.com/QFFJ4nvQnU

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 10, 2019

The Red Sox retired Ortiz's No. 34 in 2017, less than a year after he retired, and a street outside the ballpark was renamed in his honor. He remains connected with the ballclub in a role that includes mentoring players, recruiting free agents and making special appearances.

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

LEXINGTON, N.C. – Kaulig Racing has unveiled its throwback scheme for the Sports Clips Haircuts VFW 200 at Darlington Raceway on Aug. 31.

Raybestos, a world-renowned brake parts producer, will sponsor No. 11 Chevy, piloted by Justin Haley. Kaulig Racing’s inspiration for the scheme came from Jeff Burton’s No. 8 car from his rookie Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Seriesseason in 1994, as well as 1995, where he earned three top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Kaulig Racing will also be paying tribute to Chief Financial Officer of Kaulig Racing, Bob Kaulig, who previously worked as the Vice President of Sales for Raybestos from 1985-2008.

“Using the Raybestos paint scheme from Jeff’s (Burton) rookie year was a no-brainer for us,” said Kaulig Racing President Chris Rice. “Our CFO, Bob, who happens to be Matt Kaulig’s father, worked for Raybestos for 23 years, so we thought this was the perfect way to pay homage to him. We really appreciate both Jeff and Raybestos® for giving us the opportunity to use this special paint scheme and give a special surprise to Bob.”

From 1998 to 2010, the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award was one of the well-respected and highly sought-after end-of-season NASCAR awards. The award celebrated young drivers and their teams by recognizing their phenomenal efforts during the formative early phase of their careers.

BATAVIA, Ohio – The stars of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will return to action June 13-15 for three events at three different venues, across three states.

The weekend will ignite on Thursday, June 13, with a visit to Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Thursday’s Dunn-Benson Ford Wayne Gray Sr. Memorial – Presented by GETSCO will be a complete program of: Miller Welders Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and a 50-lap, $10,000-to-win feature for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

The festivities at Fayetteville Motor Speedway will begin with pit gates opening at 3 p.m., followed by general admission gates at 4 p.m. A drivers meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. with hot laps slated for 7:30 p.m. The Renegades, Modifieds, FMS Late Models, and Legends will also be in competition on Thursday, June 13.

The weekend will continue in Gaffney, S.C., where the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will visit Cherokee Speedway on Friday, June 14. A full program is on tap for the 21st Annual Grassy Smith Memorial – highlighted by a 50-lap, $12,000-to-win main event.

At Cherokee Speedway, the pit gates will open at 2 p.m. and general admission gates will open 3 p.m. The drivers meeting is set for 7 p.m., followed by hot laps at 7:30 p.m. In addition to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, the 602 Late Models, 604 Late Models, Modifieds, and Thunder Bomber divisions will also be in action.

Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. will host the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series on Saturday, June 15, to cap off the three-race escapade. The annual event, a Father’s Day weekend special, now dubbed the Big Daddy 60, will have the 60-lap main event paying a record $15,000-to-win.

On Saturday, the pit and general admission gates will open at Noon. A driver’s meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. with hot laps to follow at 7:30 p.m. The Limited Late Models and Sportsman will serve as support divisions at Smoky Mountain Speedway.

Jonathan Davenport continues to lead the Lucas Oil championship standings heading into the weekend. Earl Pearson Jr. currently trails Davenport by 345 points. Tyler Erb is third. Devin Moran and Josh Richards round out the top five in championship standings.

GLENDORA, Calif. – E3 Spark Plugs recently extended its partnership with NHRA as the official spark plug and official ignition products of NHRA.

E3 Spark Plugs has been involved with NHRA racing across all platforms including the sponsorship of the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service. E3-powered cars have won over 150 NHRA national events and eight national championships in the past three years.

“The old saying, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’ sums up E3’s NHRA experience,” said Rob Fisher, E3 vice president of motorsports. “It’s a tent-pole marketing program that delivers year in and year out, so when the opportunity to extend our relationship through the 2024 season was presented it was an easy decision to move ahead. Extending our relationship another 3 years beyond the current contract underscores our sincere commitment to the NHRA racers, crews and fans.”

“E3 has been a great partner for NHRA and their most recent extension speaks to the strength of this relationship,” said Brad Gerber, NHRA vice president and chief development officer. “We appreciate E3’s continued support and dedication to the future growth of NHRA drag racing.”

The renewal will continue to build upon the partnership and will continue to allow E3 the opportunity to incorporate the official logo in advertising, promotions, point-of-purchase materials and on packaging for each designated product.

On site, E3 will enjoy presence at all NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events including signage, inflatables, and advertising through NHRA’s multimedia outlets, and commercial inventory in the FOX Sports broadcasts. E3 Spark Plugs are available at over 25,000 retail outlets across the country, while the ignition products line is available at Summit, Performance Bodies, Jegs, and other fine specialty performance retailers.

BELLEVILLE, Ill. – The most electric week of the year for POWRi Racing is only a few days away.

Scheduled for five nights of racing at five different tracks, the sixth annual Illinois Speedweek runs from Wednesday, June 12 through Sunday, June 16 with appearances at Belle-Clair Speedway, Fayette County Speedway, Jacksonville Speedway, Macon Speedway and Lincoln Speedway.

Hosting the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League and the POWRi Engler Machine & Tool Outlaw Micro League for all five nights, fans will be treated to a thrilling week of wheel-to-wheel action.

It all begins on Wednesday with a trip to Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill. A high-paced, high-intensity fifth-mile bullring, Belle-Clair has been the site of many memorable and iconic moments in POWRi history. Most recently, Austin Brown conquered a May visit to Belle-Clair. Tanner Thorson enters as the defending Speedweek Midget winner at Belle-Clair.

The show moves on to Fayette County Speedway on Thursday for the second round. A quarter-mile facility located in Brownstown, Ill., last year’s Speedweek Midget race at Fayette County offered a slidejob city affair with Thorson topping Tanner Carrick and Logan Seavey.

On Friday night, June 14, the third round of Illinois Speedweek takes POWRi to the Jacksonville Speedway. Known for gnarly cushions against the fence, three-story sliders and action from front-to-back, the Jacksonville, Ill., quarter-mile has given fans plenty remarkable races over the years.

Macon Speedway is the scene for the Saturday showing as the fourth round of Speedweek goes to the shortest track on the schedule. A tiny, yet enticing fifth-mile in Macon, Ill., Macon always offers a unique challenge to the Midgets and Micros with a narrow, high-banked surface that creates nail-biting side-by-side battles.

A pair of championships will be on the line at Lincoln Speedway on Sunday as the fifth and final round of Speedweek will conclude a big week. A small quarter-mile in Lincoln, Ill., Lincoln Speedway has hosted several championship deciding races, including the 2017 race when Seavey won his first POWRi National Midget feature over Michael Pickens.

Philippe Coutinho admits his performances for Barcelona this season were not good enough as the Spanish champions look to cash in on their record signing.

Coutinho, 26, made an impressive start to life at Barca when he joined the club from Liverpool in January of 2018 for €160 million but his form dipped dramatically in his second season with the club.

"I didn't have a great season," the Brazilian told reporters in his homeland ahead of this summer's Copa America.

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"It was below what I expect from myself and what the supporters expect from me. But you can only gain confidence through working hard, which is what I have done and what I will continue to do."

Sources told ESPN FC after Barca's humiliating Champions League exit to Liverpool in May that the Catalan club were actively looking to move Coutinho on.

"Coutinho is not a Barcelona player, that's been made clear," a club source told ESPN FC after the 4-0 second leg loss at Anfield. The source also explained that a number of the coaching staff had grown disappointed with the playmaker's performances throughout the season.

There has been interest in Coutinho but nothing concrete and Barca have become worried that they won't be able to bring in the €100m they were hoping to sell him for.

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However, they hope the ex-Liverpool player's value could receive a boost at this summer's Copa America. With Neymar missing with an ankle injury, he has already impressed in friendly matches against Qatar and Honduras.

International teammate Thiago Silva says Coutinho is already benefitting from being away from Barcelona, where he was criticised by supporters for his performances throughout the season.

"Coutinho's had a difficult year at Barcelona," the Paris Saint-Germain defender told reporters. "It was demanding and they jeered him a lot. But here, in this team, he's our reference point -- especially when Neymar isn't available.

"In the two friendly matches we've played, he was the best player on the pitch. Not just because of his assists and his goals, but because of his defensive work. He's happy again."

Brazil kick off the Copa America against Bolivia in Sao Paulo on Saturday. They then face Venezuela and Peru.

REIMS, France -- On the eve of the team's World Cup opener, United States women's national team coach Jill Ellis shrugged off recent criticism from former goalkeeper Hope Solo.

Solo criticized Ellis in an interview and column with the BBC. She said the U.S. coach who was in charge when the team won the World Cup title four years ago, its first world championship since 1999, relies too much on her assistants, is reluctant to criticize players and "cracks under pressure."

"Comments are comments," Ellis said Monday. "I feel over the past five years [I've] made a lot of important decisions. And I have processes to make those decisions and own those processes. And at this point everything and every focus is about this group of players that are here and now. Pundits that are out there, that's part of it. And part of the message is always to make sure that the focus is on the internal part of the game. And that's where we are."

Solo played for Ellis during both the 2015 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. The goalkeeper was suspended for six months by U.S. Soccer following the 2016 Olympics after calling Sweden "a bunch of cowards" following a quarterfinal in which the opponent used a defensive approach to earn a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes and then advance to the semifinals in a penalty shootout.

Now 37, Solo has not played for the national team or professionally since that suspension.

Solo was also famously critical of then-coach Greg Ryan's decision to start Briana Scurry in goal during a 2007 World Cup semifinal after Solo started the team's first four games in that tournament. She was then barred by the team from the third-place game. She returned to the team under coach Pia Sundhage and won gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Ellis' comments came on the heels of players Julie Ertz and Alyssa Naeher, Solo's replacement as the No. 1 goalkeeper, saying during a Sunday press conference in France that they hadn't seen Solo's comments.

The Premier League's big six have made a slow start to the summer transfer window, with only Manchester United adding to their squad since the end of the season with the £15m signing of young Swansea winger Daniel James.

Finding the right player at the right price is now becoming a challenge for even the biggest and wealthiest club. But if money was no object and the leading teams could make one signing to transform their starting XIs, whom should they go for?

With the transfer market likely to accelerate at the end of this month, ESPN FC has identified which player would make a big difference to each of the Premier League's top-six clubs.

MAN CITY: Liverpool left-back Andrew Robertson

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City squad is the strongest and deepest in the Premier League, if not the world, and improving a team which finished last season having won all three domestic trophies will be no easy feat.

But if there is one weakness in Guardiola's team, it is at left-back, where Benjamin Mendy's injury problems since signing from Monaco two years ago have forced the City manager to try all kinds of solutions. Mendy has made just 17 Premier League appearances in that time, with Guardiola having tried Fabian Delph, Aymeric Laporte and Oleksandr Zinchenko in his stead over the past two seasons. Guardiola, though, wants to solve his left-back problem for good this summer to ensure that City are as formidable as possible at the back.

Enter Andrew Robertson. There is no better left-back in world football than the Liverpool defender, both in terms of his defensive discipline and ability to contribute going forward.

The Scotland captain was signed for a bargain £8 million from Hull City in 2017, but Liverpool would now want at least £100m for the 25-year-old if they were to even contemplate letting him go.

The chances of Liverpool selling Robertson to anybody, let alone City, are remote, but if Guardiola could get any player in the world to make his team even better, it would be the former Dundee United defender who has just helped Liverpool to Champions League glory.

LIVERPOOL: Man City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne

Jurgen Klopp, with the help of Liverpool's transfer committee, has transformed his side over the past two seasons, with goalkeeper Alisson and centre-half Virgil van Dijk banishing previous concerns over those two key areas of the team.

Going forward, Liverpool are also formidable with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino combining to form one of the most devastating attacking trios in the world. But the one area where Liverpool could improve is in midfield, where Klopp's team lacks a box-to-box player in the mould of Steven Gerrard, who can turn defence into attack with either his passing or running with the ball.

In that respect, Kevin De Bruyne would be the perfect signing for the European champions and a player capable of enabling Liverpool to take the next step towards winning the Premier League. De Bruyne is a major figure at Manchester City and the Belgium international is unlikely to be sold anytime soon by the club, but if Klopp could build a profile of the player who would make the biggest difference to his Liverpool team, it would be De Bruyne.

CHELSEA: Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard

If one player was the difference between success and failure for his club last season, and in the years preceding that, it was Eden Hazard at Chelsea.

The Belgian forward was an unqualified success at Stamford Bridge after rejecting offers from Manchester City and Manchester United to complete a £32m move from Lille in 2012. But the completion last week of his transfer to Real Madrid, for an initial £88.5m which could rise to as much as £130m, has left Chelsea without their talisman at a time when the club faces a two-window transfer ban.

U.S. international Christian Pulisic has already been signed from Borussia Dortmund to help fill the void left by Hazard's departure, but if Chelsea could sign any player in the world to ensure they remain competitive at the highest level, it would be the man they just lost, Hazard.

The 28-year-old's departure could hurt Chelsea as much as Cristiano Ronaldo's exit from Manchester United and Thierry Henry's move from Arsenal did, so the ideal scenario would have been for the club to keep him for one more year.

No other player out there, be it Philippe Coutinho or Antoine Griezmann, could be relied upon to make as big a contribution to Chelsea as Hazard did.

TOTTENHAM: Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann

Tottenham are at crucial stage in their development as a club with ambitions to become a Champions League powerhouse.

Their new stadium is finally open and they have just participated in their first Champions League final. But with doubts over the future of manager Mauricio Pochettino and key players such as Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld, Spurs really need to show they mean business by landing a world-class player.

It is now 18 months since Lucas Moura was signed, the most recent player to do so with the club, but Spurs have the opportunity to make a statement by swooping for Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann. The France international would be an upgrade on Eriksen if the Dane was to leave and would also show the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Son Heung-min that Spurs intend to challenge the biggest clubs for the top trophies and best players.

Barcelona are still the favourites to sign Griezmann, but the lure of London and the Premier League could turn the 28-year-old's head. On the pitch, Griezmann would be a major plus for Spurs, but off it, his arrival at the club would be a game-changer in how they are perceived.

ARSENAL: Ajax centre-back Matthijs de Ligt

Europe's biggest clubs are all jostling for position in the race to sign Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt, with Barcelona leading the chase ahead of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.

Arsenal appear to be nowhere to be seen in the pursuit of the 19-year-old defender, but a move for De Ligt would send a crucial message to their rivals that they are determined to reclaim their status as one of the Premier League's most powerful clubs.

Unai Emery has made slow progress at the Emirates since replacing Arsene Wenger as manager 12 months ago, but the Spaniard has made attempts to address the team's long-standing defensive frailties.

Going forward, Arsenal remain a match for any team, but their ability to keep the ball out of the net continues to raise question marks over their trophy chances.

In signing De Ligt, Arsenal would be getting a young player with leadership qualities and robust defensive skills. He could provide Arsenal with the defensive rock and captaincy credentials that the club once had with Tony Adams and would also show that the club finally realise that attacking flair alone does not win trophies.

MAN UNITED: Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos

The reality facing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United is that he could improve his team in every position this summer if he had the funds and scouting network behind him to do that. United are in a mess right now, with too many underperforming players and a lack of on-field leaders contributing to them finishing sixth in the Premier League last season.

But while United need an injection of quality in all areas, they also need strong characters to help knit it all together, and no player would make a bigger difference in that respect than Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.

Defensively, United were shambolic last season, conceding 54 goals in 38 league games, and they desperately need a leader at the back to take charge. Ramos would bring the qualities of a John Terry or Vincent Kompany to United's defence and dressing room and, even at the age of 33, he would vastly improve the back four.

United have seen too many big characters, such as Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, leave without being replaced in recent years, so a player like Ramos is exactly what they need.