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Texas Rangers officially announce deal with Mike Napoli

ByJoshua Sadlock|
Oct 19, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Indians designated hitter Mike Napoli (26) hits a RBI double during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Indians designated hitter Mike Napoli (26) hits a RBI double during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Napoli is officially back with the Texas Rangers, as the deal was finalized and announced Thursday morning.

For what seemed like an eternity, Mike Napoli was on the verge of signing with the Texas Rangers. Before officially announcing the deal, the Rangers had to wait until after they were able to place Prince Fielder and Jake Diekman on the 60-day disabled list. Napoli was introduced this morning at the team’s complex in Surprise, AZ.

According to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com, Napoli and the Rangers agreed on a one-year deal with a club option for 2018. Napoli will have a base salary for 2017 of $6 million with a $2.5-million buyout for 2017 or an $11-million option. The contract is essentially a one-year deal for $8.5 million that could become a two-year deal for $17 million if everything goes well this season.

If it feels like déjà vu all over again seeing Napoli in a Rangers jersey, that’s because this is his third stint with the team. He previously played for Texas for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, left to sign with the Boston Red Sox in 2013, and was then traded back to the Rangers in 2014. As his free agency dragged on, it was clear Napoli was being pulled back to Texas, and the feeling was mutual. Having lost Mitch Moreland, Prince Fielder and Carlos Beltran, the Rangers were in need of a veteran first baseman/DH, and Napoli should capably fill that void while fitting in well with the clubhouse.

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For his career, Napoli is a .252/.352/.480 hitter with 238 home runs and 678 RBIs. With Texas, he has batted .277/.381/.548 with 59 home runs in 256 games. In his previous go-rounds with the Rangers, Napoli caught and played first base and left field. This time around, he’ll be limited to first base and DH, but should be expected to start nearly every day. Last season, Napoli batted .239/.335/.465 for the Cleveland Indians, running out of gas down the stretch. He also struggled in the postseason, batting just .173 with one home run and three RBIs in 15 games.

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