Rays cancel ceremony for Red Sox David Ortiz

In memory of Jose Fernandez, David Ortiz puts his initials and his number on his hat as the Red Sox play the Rays

Before the game, Rays third baseman Evan Longoria and pitcher Chris Archer presented Ortiz with an oil painting of his 500th career home run, which he hit at Tropicana Field last September. He was also given 34 handcrafted cigars, and a pair of $5,000 donations to the Miracle League of St. Petersburg and the South Florida Latino Scholarship Program were made in Ortiz's name.

Papi honors Fernandez BOS@TB: Papi honors Fernandez on his hatIn memory of Jose Fernandez, David Ortiz puts his initials and his number on his hat as the Red Sox play the Rays

"It's always good coming down to Tampa," Ortiz said before Boston's game on Saturday. "We get the opportunity to come down here three times a year, that ballclub through the years has been able to have some very good, competitive players. Really good talent plays here."

Fernandez and Ortiz had developed a bond, despite Ortiz being 16 years Fernandez's senior. At this year's All-Star Game in San Diego, Ortiz claimed that Fernandez told him he'd throw nothing but fastballs right down the middle in the hopes that Ortiz would have a special moment in his last Midsummer Classic. When Fernandez later walked Ortiz, the two had a playful exchange on the field.

On Sunday in the Red Sox's clubhouse, players watched the televisions in stunned silence, standing around each other. Fernandez had never pitched against the Red Sox, and no one in the room had been Fernandez's teammate in the Major Leagues -- but he had a friend in Oritz, and the news of his death reverberated in shock around the team.

"It was disbelief," manager John Farrell said. "Tragic. ... We all know the talent that he is, so baseball has lost one heck of a young pitcher. But more importantly, our thoughts are with his family at this point."

Sam Blum is a reporter for MLB.com based in St. Petersburg. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.