Texas Rangers to decline Mike Napoli’s option for 2018
By Brad Faber
After a somewhat rough season with the Texas Rangers in 2017, veteran slugger Mike Napoli will now be a free agent.
Over the offseason, the Texas Rangers signed Mike Napoli to a reported one-year deal with an option for the 2018 season. The signing marked Napoli’s third stint with the Rangers.
Napoli played for the Rangers from 2011-12. He had one of the best seasons of his career in 2011, hitting .320/.414/.631 (173 OPS+) with 30 home runs. He also went to a World Series with the Rangers that season. Though his production dipped in 2012, he still had another good year in the power department and went to the postseason yet again, with the Rangers playing the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Wild Card game.
After a two-and-a-half-year stint with the Boston Red Sox, which included winning a World Championship in 2013, Napoli returned to the Rangers for the stretch run in the summer of 2015. Napoli spent the 2016 campaign with the Cleveland Indians. He hit .239/.335/.465 (106 OPS+) and clubbing 34 home runs with a personal-best 101 RBI. Napoli also went to the third World Series of his career in 2016.
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A disappointing 2017 campaign
In Napoli’s 2017 return to Arlington, he really struggled at the dish, aside from a power standpoint. He did manage to hit 29 home runs and collect 66 RBI, but he slashed only .193/.285/.428. Napoli was a below league average hitter according to OPS+ and wRC+, posting marks of 82 and 81, respectively. He also had a -0.4 bWAR and a -0.5 fWAR. According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the Rangers have now officially told Napoli that they will not be picking up his option for the 2018 season. Instead, they will be paying his $2.5 million buyout, making him a free agent.
Just for record since it was already assumed: Rangers have informed Mike Napoli they will not exercise 2018 option, will pay $2.5 mm buyout
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) October 17, 2017
Despite the down year, the soon-to-be 36-year-old Napoli should still be able to draw interest on the free-agent market from teams who are looking for short-term, affordable power. A low batting average and a high strikeout rate will come along as part of the package, but he can still hit the long ball. At the very least, he could serve as depth and give a club a legitimate power threat off the bench.
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Napoli also has a lengthy postseason resume and is a proven veteran leader. He has appeared in a total of 66 postseason games with the Los Angeles Angels, Rangers, Red Sox and Indians. This season was the first time since 2014 that Napoli did not appear in the postseason.