Free-agent first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli announced on Twitter on Saturday that he is retiring from baseball. His best season in the big leagues came with the Red Sox in 2011 when he hit .320 with a .631 slugging percentage, 30 home runs and 75 RBI. He'll finish his 12-year career with a .246/.346/.475 slash line, 267 home runs and 744 RBI in 1,392 games. He last played for the Rangers in 2017 and had 29 homers and 66 RBI.
Cleveland Indians first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli(knee) is done for the year after suffering a torn right ACL and meniscus. Napoli was playing at Triple-A Columbus when he suffered the injury. He will undergo surgery soon and won't be able to play again until the 2019 season. Napoli signed a minor league contract with Cleveland this season and will be a free agent at the end of the year.
Cleveland Indians first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli will be placed on the Triple-A disabled list due to a knee injury. There has been shockingly little information about Napoli's injury, but manager Terry Francona said it seemed like a significant one. Napoli should not be counted on anytime soon. He was with Cleveland in spring training but failed to make the team and was cut. He then agreed to a minor league contract and had been playing in Triple-A Columbus before suffering the injury.
Mike Napoli Suffers a "Significant Knee Injury" in Triple-A
Cleveland Indians first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli suffered what manager Terry Francona called a "significant knee injury" Tuesday night in Triple-A. Napoli did not make the team out of spring training but agreed to report to Triple-A and play there until he was needed on the big league roster. While details are sparse for now and Cleveland is still waiting to hear more precise details on the injury, it certainly doesn't sound like Napoli will be back on the field anytime soon.
Cleveland Reassigns Mike Napoli to Minor League Camp
The Cleveland Indians reassigned first baseman Mike Napoli to minor league camp. Napoli was released by Cleveland but quickly re-signed once he accepted the fact that he would need to start the season at Triple-A Columbus. He'll serve as depth and should be up on the Cleveland roster sooner or later. It looks like Napoli's days of fantasy relevance are gone, though, outside of in deeper leagues for his power.
Cleveland Indians first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli will accept an assignment to Triple-A Columbus, according to reports. Napoli was released by the team on Thursday and returned on a minor league deal, but he was said to be weighing his options for his next move. At the time of the transaction on Thursday, the club was unsure whether Napoli would be willing to head to Triple-A or not. The Indians never had room for Napoli on their big league roster but brought him to camp as a favor so he could work out and get his reps while hopefully showcasing himself for another team. Terry Francona, in discussing Napoli with reporters, mentioned that he thinks Napoli can still play in MLB and is thrilled he is still with the organization, for now. Napoli hit just .193 in 2017 with the Texas Rangers but he did manage 29 homers.
Mike Napoli to Decide on a Minor League Deal on Friday
The Cleveland Indians released first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli on Thursday, and he will decide to day if he will accept a minor league contract to return to the organization. He was told by the club upon his official release that he would be welcomed back on a minor league contract if he was willing to take it. Napoli of course hopes to find a major league contract, but he struggled last season and any teams willing to give out bigger deals could likely find better players even this late into Spring Training.
Mike Napoli Will Be Released, but Can Re-Sign With Cleveland Tomorrow
Cleveland Indians first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli will be released by the team today, but can re-sign with the club tomorrow. It seems like a procedural move, but it's unclear if Napoli will make the Opening Day roster, or if part of the release/re-sign process will ultimately have Napoli spending time in the minor leagues. He still had a lot of pop last season, smashing 29 home runs, but his slash line of .193/.285/.428 was overall putrid. He'd be working in a reserve role regardless, and isn't worth much fantasy consideration at this point.
Cleveland Indians first baseman Mike Napoli may not be with Cleveland for long, as Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe notes that manager Terry Francona "basically said that Napoli deserved to be in a major league camp so he can audition for other teams." It is an interesting situation in that the Indians appear to be kind of doing Napoli a solid here even though he is unlikely to make their roster, barring injury. Napoli hit just .193 last season for the Rangers while playing through a torn ligament in his right hand, though he did crank 29 home runs.
Cleveland Indians first baseman Mike Napoli will debut for the Indians in Cactus League play on Sunday against the Brewers. Napoli will bat sixth and serve as the designated hitter in his return to the Indians. He will function as a bench bat and part-time first baseman and designated hitter for the Tribe this time around.
