The Boston Red Sox traded embattled first baseman Mike Napoli to the Texas Rangers in advance of Friday afternoon’s contest with the Detroit Tigers, according to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford. Napoli was pulled from the lineup just prior to the start of the game, leading many to speculate that a deal was near.
The Red Sox acquired Napoli from those same Rangers just before the 2013 season. Napoli slugged 23 home runs and drove in 92 runs in his first season with Boston, in addition to playing exceptional defense at first base, and was instrumental in leading the club to it’s third World Series victory in a 10-year span. He also became something of a folk hero in Boston thanks to his now-famous beard, which became a sort of symbol for the squad in the playoffs. Most, if not all, of his teammates grew their own beards as Napoli’s grew in popularity, but none matched the grandeur of the original.
However, Napoli never recaptured the magic of that 2013 season. Injuries the following year limited him to just 119 games, and his batting average, never a strength to begin with, dropped under .250. This season, he hoped that offseason sleep apnea surgery would lead to an offensive renaissance. More rest, it was assumed, would allow him to stay healthy and concentrate better at the plate. Unfortunately, the results never materialized.
Naopli opened the season mired in a horrific slump that saw him batting under the Mendoza line for much of the first half. And while he has experienced a post-All Star break resurgence – he carries a .267/.362/.533 slash line since the break – he was still hitting a dismal .207 for the season by the time of today’s trade.
It is unclear what Boston will receive in return. The primary benefit will be monetary – Napoli is due $16 million for the season and has far from earned it; the Sox will be glad to have it off the books. The move also opens a roster spot and will give Boston a chance to see what it has in rookie first baseman Travis Shaw. Though Shaw has seen very few at-bats this season, he has impressed. He sports a .400 batting average (which will undoubtedly regress) and has slugged a pair of homers in just 25 at-bats.
Napoli follows Shane Victorino out of Boston as the team looks forward to 2016. Other players, such as Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, may not be far behind them.
UPDATE: The Red Sox sent Napoli and cash to the Rangers for a player to be named later or cash.
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