Retired Red Sox Player David Ortiz ‘Used to Hate’ Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter: ‘Now We’re Family’ (Exclusive)

On the eve of the World Series, the trio reunite — and have lots of laughs — as analysts on 'MLB on FOX'

For David "Big Papi" Ortiz, life after baseball doesn’t mean life without baseball.

Ask the MLB on FOX resident funny man and Boston Red Sox legend a question about working as an analyst on the desk alongside his former American League rivals and New York Yankees, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, and well, that’s where the fun really starts.

“We all have some good days [when] we played, but now our job is basically, pass the torch on,” Ortiz, 47, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “And I know these guys forever, so we used to hate each other, but now we're family.”

He adds, while laughing and gesturing to Jeter, “Sometimes I feel like I want to whoop this guy right here. I let him fly. I let him fly. I'm just kidding. No, we just feed each other with information the way we want to handle the business here. We got a good team. I feel very comfortable around these guys.”

The good vibes were contagious when PEOPLE sat down with the trio — and host Kevin Burkhardt — to discuss the retired ball players' second acts as broadcasters, on the eve of the World Series, with the Texas Rangers hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks beginning Friday, Oct. 27 from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Related: David 'Big Papi' Ortiz Unveils Renovated Youth Baseball Field: 'Whatever I Can Help With, I'm Down'

From their ease with one another in a green room at the stadium, you’d never know the athletes were once foes on the field.

Jeter, 49, is the rookie among the group, having joined the crew this year, nearly 10 years after retiring.

Getting into broadcasting is like joining another sort of team, he tells PEOPLE, but having to still hear about the Yankees’ epic loss in the 2004 ALCS — in which Papi and his Red Sox came back to win the series after being down 3-0 — is not so much fun.

“The hardest part has been reliving 2004 every single day,” Jeter jokes. 

The trio’s on-air chemistry underscores the idea that these guys are still part of a team.

The night before PEOPLE’s interview, Ortiz and Rodriguez, 48, interviewed Astros star Yordan Alvarez on the post-game show, translating for him in an effortless tag-team manner — as if they were back on the field tossing the ball to one another.

Papi was happy to hear positive feedback from one reporter about how entertaining it all was, as he looks ahead to achieving new goals.

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Related: David 'Big Papi' Ortiz Delivers Emotional Hall of Fame Speech: 'So Thankful and Grateful'

“I don't miss playing at all,” Ortiz says. “I mean, those moments, they were very special. It was all about winning. We played to win. We were lucky enough to have a long career. That's the way I look at it. Not many guys get to be blessed with having a long career, especially in baseball. Baseball is a tough sport.”

He continues, “So I enjoy watching what is going on right now and giving my opinion. And I even enjoy watching the guys celebrate because I went through it. We did it all. We went through all that. You know what I'm saying? It's like being a kid and then you become an adult.”

“You're an adult is what you're saying,” Jeter interjects.

“I'm trying to be,” Ortiz says, as the room erupts in laughter.

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