Napoli was part of the 2011 AL pennant winning team and was selected to his lone AL All-Star Team in 2012. The return is unknown at this time, as it’s a player to be named, according to Peter Abraham, but the Sox also sent some cash to Texas to help cover Napoli’s remaining salary.
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Napoli’s production slipped last season, when he dealt with toe, finger, back and knee injuries that limited him to 119 games.
The 33-year-old Napoli, who enters free agency this offseason, spent two seasons in Texas prior to signing with the Red Sox in the winter of 2012-13.
The Boston Red Sox have traded first baseman Mike Napoli along with cash considerations to the Texas Rangers, the Red Sox announced Friday night.
Napoli followed that up with several key hits in the postseason, the biggest a home run against the Detroit Tigers in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. He’s not the Napoli of old, not at 33 years old and dealing with an increasingly pro-pitcher strike zone, but he can still put a ball in the seats.
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Napoli has struggled mightily at the plate this season; as recently as July 22, he was batting only.198. 259 with 23 home runs and 92 RBIs. Travis Shaw was originally in the lineup as a third baseman, but started at first base and Pablo Sandoval was at third.
