Police in the Dominican Republic believe former Boston Red Sox star David ‘Big Papi’ Ortiz was shot by two cops hired by a Dominican Republic drug lord who believed the baseball player was having an affair with his wife, DailyMail.com has learned.

Three law enforcement sources confirmed the motive on Monday as Ortiz, 43, recovered in the hospital.   

The drug lord has not been named. 

On Monday, Ortiz’s representative Leo Lopez denied that the shooting had anything to do with a woman but said it was the act of ‘hired’ killers. 

‘There is no doubt that it was an act of hired killers. 

‘If we had known that there was a dangerous situation, he would not have been there at that moment,’ Leo Lopez told Diario Libre.

Ortiz is expected to make a full recovery but suffered liver damage during the six-hour operation, his spokesman said. 

He has been cleared for travel and will fly back to Boston on a plane provided by his old team on Monday once it is ready.  

‘The level of stability that Big Papi is showing at this moment makes it possible for him to travel immediately,’ one of the doctors involved in his care told ESPN.

The former slugger for the Red Sox was shot in the back at near point-blank range while having drinks with friends including local TV host Jhoel Lopez. 

Police have arrested Eddy Feliz Garcia so far but their investigation is ongoing. Garcia was chased down at the bar by a crowd of Ortiz’s supporters and was beaten relentlessly until police arrived. 

He was driving the motorcycle but is not the man who pulled the trigger. The shooter, who has not yet been named, is also in custody.   

To read the full story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7124467/Crowd-attacks-suspect-accused-shooting-David-Big-Papi-Ortiz.html

For live, local news, download the KRONon app. It lets you watch commercial-free news from the Bay Area’s Local News Station on multiple streaming devices.

Click here to subscribe for a free 7-day trial

WHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON:

>>MORE STORIES