Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox signed catcher/first baseman
Mike Napoli to a one-year contract on Tuesday.
The deal is worth $5 million, with incentives that can bring it up to $13
million.
Napoli hit just .227 with 24 home runs and 56 RBI in 108 games for the Texas
Rangers last season, his second with the franchise, and earned his first
career All-Star selection. He split time between catcher (69 starts), first
base (24 starts) and designated hitter (9 starts).
Over a seven-year career with the Angels and Texas, the 31-year-old South
Florida native is a .259 hitter who has slugged 146 homers and driven in 380
runs in 727 games.
In 32 career postseason games, Napoli has hit .272 with five home runs and 19
RBI. During Texas' run to the World Series in 2011, he led the Rangers with a
.328 batting average while starting all 17 games.
In 19 career games at Fenway Park, Napoli has hit .306 with four doubles,
seven home runs and 17 RBI.
Boston also designated pitcher Chris Carpenter for assignment.
The Sports Network