"He is loved throughout our nation and beyond, yet to us, he is our own adopted son."
The Red Sox kicked off their game Monday with a touching moment for David Ortiz, with the PA announcer asking all 34,422 fans in attendance to stay quiet for a moment of silence for "Big Papi."
As we previously reported ... Ortiz nearly lost his life in a shooting in the Dominican Republic on Sunday night -- and it didn't take long for his MLB city to send up prayers.
"All of us were shocked by last night's news about David Ortiz," the Red Sox PA announcer said before their game against the Rangers ... "And, our community has felt a palpable concern ever since."
"Won't you please join us as we offer a moment of reflection, thought and prayer for a complete healing and a full recovery for our beloved 'Big Papi.'"
The fans at Fenway weren't the only ones tore up over the Papi situation ... Ortiz's ex-teammate and friend, Pedro Martinez, broke down during an appearance on MLB Network.
"I don't have enough words to describe who @davidortiz is, what David means to baseball..."
An emotional message from @45PedroMartinez regarding his friend and former @RedSox teammate, David Ortiz. pic.twitter.com/ZqrY08Zs3i
Ortiz -- who underwent hours of surgery late Sunday night into Monday morning -- is expected to make a full recovery.
The future Hall of Famer is currently in Boston ... getting treatment for his injuries at Massachusetts General Hospital.