The Rangers have informed first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli that his $11MM club option for the 2018 season will not be exercised, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. He’ll instead take home a $2.5MM buyout, bringing his total earnings in his third stint with the Rangers to $8.5MM. Napoli will be a free agent once the option is formally declined.
Napoli, 36 on Halloween, swatted 29 homers in his return to Arlington this season but saw his batting average check in south of the Mendoza Line and his OBP land in the upper .200s. Overall, the benefit of his considerable power (.235 ISO) was counteracted by a .193/.285/.428 batting line and below-average baserunning. Both Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference pegged him slightly worse than replacement level. Napoli struck out at a career-worst 33.6 percent clip and also popped up at a career-high 15.6 percent pace. A troublesome 38.1 percent of his trips to the plate resulted in a punchout or an infield fly.
Of course, Napoli is just a season removed from a very solid .239/.335/.465 batting line and 34 homers for the American League champion Indians. Both Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating felt that he was about a run above average in nearly 800 innings at first base — the fourth time in the past five seasons that he’s ranked above average by both measures. While it’s difficult to envision Napoli securing another job as a team’s primary first baseman in free agency this offseason, his generally excellent clubhouse reputation, well-above average power and track record of mashing left-handed pitching should result in plenty of interest among contending clubs looking to utilize him in a more limited capacity.
As for the Rangers, they’ll have the option of using Joey Gallo at first base in 2018 or pursuing one of the many free-agent sluggers at first base. Eric Hosmer, Logan Morrison, Carlos Santana, Lucas Duda, Yonder Alonso and old friend Mitch Moreland are among those joining Napoli on the open market this winter. Should the Rangers bring in one of those options, Gallo could return to the corner outfield, see some time at DH and occasionally spell future Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre at third base.
Alternatively, the Rangers have one of the game’s top-regarded first base prospects, Ronald Guzman, on the precipice of MLB readiness. The 22-year-old Guzman spent the 2017 season with Triple-A Round Rock, where he batted .298/.372/.434 with a dozen homers, 22 doubles and an 85-to-47 K/BB ratio in 527 plate appearances. Texas could opt to merely pursue a stopgap option to split the first base/corner outfield workload with Gallo until Guzman forces his way onto the big league roster.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Not a terribly surprising move. Clears the way for some of their younger players or maybe even a free agent target. I wonder who they would pursue.
Is this the last of Nap?
My guess is back to cleveland on a 1 year 2-3 million dollar deal.
That’s not a bad suggestion. If Cleveland can’t find anyone better he could bridge the gap to Bobby Bradley.
That being said it’s not too hard to find someone who could play it better
Cleveland had too many people crowding.
My guess he’s going to Boston or Anaheim
Hes not going back to Boston unless its absurdly cheap for them. We have enough guys that strike out when the games on the line already.
Fo real
I guess the Rangers feel they can get a cheaper .193 hitter with some power anywhere. Napoli will land somewhere, this isn’t the end for him.
One of their top prospects is a 1B coming off a really strong season in AAA. Napoli has been as good as gone for months now. No point in blocking Guzman next year.
Weird there’s zero mention of whether Rangers have interest in bringing him back at lesser price tag. He’s had three stints with the team, after all.
No need, Gallo put up good numbers and Guzman is crushing AAA
34 extra base hits in 527 AB’s is not exactly crushing it. Solid average, yes. But his power numbers resemble James Loney type of production.
And in the PCL… power could develop but the Rangers don’t strike me as a team that would go with him at 1st base unless he shows more power down in AAA. I’m guessing Rangers go hard after Hosmer.
Sounds like money is tight. With 3 SP spots open, I imagine most funds will go to the rotation…. Meaning 1B would be Gallo, or a much cheaper option than Hosmer.
Guzman has the frame and is still physically developing. He seems much bigger in person than his physical stats read.
What you said is all true… But just because a kid is still physically developing does not mean power will indeed come. Just ask those folks in ATL, STL, and now CHC when Jason Heywards power will finally materialize.
I hope the power does develop for Guzman… But Guzman is not “crushing AAA” as bueavandertulip suggested.
I mean Guzman doesn’t really have to be a 20+ HR guy. Rangers already have a ton of power hitters. We need some guys who can hit guys around and get on base at a decent clip. Guzman has been good at that the last 3 seasons.
I’m guessing he and Hosmer switch places. Albeit on very different FA contracts.
Time to “Retire At Napoli’s”. The party is over and the hangover has long since worn off.
Hosmer is a Scott Boras client, though, so whatever he makes, we can be sure the team will have to overpay for him, and if the Rangers overpay for anything this offseason, it had better be pitching!
Shocker! He was one of the least valuable players in all of baseball this year…
Maybe Mets pick him up cheap to pair with smith?
He will not be back in Anaheim … The beef between him and Sosh still alive and well…
I’m sure some team in need of a platoon first basemen, or some power off the bench will pick him up. Still put up 29 home runs, with ok defense at first. Plus, he is a good clubhouse presence.
Texas fans impression of native Matt Carpenter manning 1B?
Asking for a friend…