Fans heard from retired Red Sox legend David Ortiz on Monday for the first time since he left the hospital after being shot in his native Dominican Republic. Ortiz -- who was released from the hospital on Friday -- wrote that being home safe, with his family, is "priceless" and thanked fans for the players in an Instagram post. 

The post was accompanied with photos of a steak, pasta and grilled fish. Big Papi said, "Too bad l can't crush food yet!!!!"

In a statement, Ortiz confirmed that he was released from Boston's Massachusetts General on July 26, nearly seven weeks after the he was shot. "Big Papi will be back soon," Ortiz wrote. Ortiz also thanked the medical staff, both in Dominican Republic and Boston and the Red Sox ownership in the statement:

Ortiz, 43, was shot in the back at a Santo Domingo nightclub on June 9. The bullet entered his back and exited through his abdomen, and resulted in the removal of his gallbladder and part of his intestines during a surgery in the Dominican Republic. The three-time World Series champion was then flown to the intensive care unit at Mass General in Boston for additional treatment, which included two more operations.

Police in the Dominican Republic said their investigation determined Ortiz was not the intended target of the shooting. Victor Hugo Gomez, an alleged member of the Gulf Cartel and fugitive in the United States, was identified as the organizer of the attack.