April 20: The Indians announced that Napoli has a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee that will require season-ending surgery. The procedure comes with an estimated recovery time of anywhere from 10 to 14 months, per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian (Twitter link).
April 18: The Indians announced that veteran first baseman Mike Napoli suffered a “significant” right knee injury while playing with their Triple-A club in Columbus last night. He’s expected to miss an “extended amount of time,” per the team, though specifics of his timeline or the nature of the injury remain unclear.
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer quotes Indians skipper Terry Francona in relaying that Napoli was injured when chasing down a foul pop early in the game (Twitter link). The injury sounds grim, as MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian adds that Francona suggested that if this proves to be the end of Napoli’s playing career, he has the ability to “make an impact” on the game in his post-playing days.
The 36-year-old Napoli signed a minor league contract with Cleveland this offseason and agreed to report to Triple-A when he didn’t make the club in Spring Training. He’s gotten off to a 1-for-24 start, though his lone hit was a home run and he’s also drawn seven walks.
Napoli was a fan favorite virtually everywhere he’s played later in his career and was especially popular in his first stint with Cleveland in 2016, when he hit .239/.335/.465 with 34 homers and helped the Indians reach the World Series. His 2017 season with the Rangers wasn’t as successful, as he posted a more tepid .193/.285/.428 slash with a career-worst 33.6 percent strikeout rate.
Party at Napoli’s Hospital Room
Lol’d
Just wanted to clarify that my comment wasn’t meant to be disrespectful. I love Napoli and he’s a great player
Hard not to love Naps. A good guy.
I saw your comment in the best possible light. It’s a party wherever Naps is, he’s so cool…..
I doubt anyone saw it negatively. Nap is just one of those players that everyone likes.
Alright thanks guys just wanted to put it out there
Your clarification is most appreciated!
This comments wins the day!!
Lmao
That’s a bummer man. This may have been the end of his career regardless of the injury but I hate to see a guy like him go down this way. Who doesn’t like Napoli fan or player? He’s a great clubhouse guy and you gotta feel for him going out this way.
This is terrible news…hopefully it’s not as serious as it appears at first. Here’s to a safe recovery.
Love this guy regardless of anything. Hope he recovers well.
He tripped over the home plate in the bullpen while chasing down a foul ball. He looked in severe pain. He ended up being driven off the field on a cart.
Why is there a raised home plate in the bullpen? Seems like an accident waiting to happen…
The plate in the pen isn’t raised. He just had the misfortune of catching his foot on it. Have to admire that he is willing to give it all chasing down a foul ball in AAA.
Thanks for clarifying.
Here’s a vid of how it happened……
youtu.be/kD3_oI1iFJs
36 year old “serious injury” @ AAA could easily me the end of a vey productive career – Good luck Nap’s
At least it opens a roster spot for a deserving player now
What the hell is wrong with you man
my guess is you are going to hell
^^^
Agreed
I live in Cleveland, already there
Move then
At least you got something right
What? That it’s good that a young player can get his roster spot now? Yep, sure did
Ha!
@carlot
Oh sorry that everyone isn’t jumping on your Napoli player tribute bud.
Didnt know that he was being nominated for baseball sainthood!
WHAT AN IDIOT!
Karma is real douche nozzle !
Trashy post
For that guy, it’s a normal post.
No one asked you
Sorry if I hurt your feelings, it’s the truth though
Whether it’s true or not, it doesn’t mean you have to say it…some things are better kept to yourself
He was 1 for 24 and taking a spot for a young player that deserves playing time…..fate just made the choice for him…..
Who exactly is he taking a spot from? He isn’t on the 40 man roster and is an excellent clubhouse present by all accounts. He was essentially a player coach. He is a class act, unlike you.
But you don’t wish an injury on any player or applaud when it happens! That’s really low class!
Video is available on milb.com. He definitely looks to have torn something in his knee, though he did manage to get to his feet. But he could hardly put an ounce of weight on it. Reminds me of Bryce Harper’s knee injury.
Wish Nap the best. Loved him when he was with the Halos, and was bumed like many others, when Sosh shipped him out for fn Vernon Wells…. Dude destroyed us everytime he came back, and theyd always zoom in on his and Sosh’s reactions. Lol…
Tony Reagins made that trade. And Napoli was finally given a chance to be an every day player the year before he was traded and had a bad season. He would’ve left any way since they signed Albert, Morales was returning, and Trumbo was emerging.
Reagins made the trade but we all know who was pulling the strings.
Great Angel player. He did look like he was mad staring into The Angels dugout after hitting a HR as a member of The Rangers.
Got news for you…he looked mad at everyone, mad at the world.
WHAT AN IDIOT!
Good luck Mike. An over achiever in my book. One who put performed his stats with clutch, timely hits.
That timely hitter batted .246 for his career.
Sometimes you can’t just look at the average. As I said typo aside, he outperformed the stats. Clutch hitting, timely walks and yes solid defense at first base were part of the reason why the team won in 2013. Yes, Papi was the main star but that season was other than him, mainly a group of overachievers.
Too bad, I hate to say it but this is probably the end of the road for him. I’ve liked Nap even before he was on the Red Sox, he just seemed to like a guy who had fantasized about playing in the big leagues as a kid and was enjoying every minute now. I had hoped he could leave the game on his own terms. If his playing career is over then hopefully the Indians will sign him on to the front office or some coaching position in the minors.
Napoli was very much beloved in Red Sox Nation. He helped bring home the 2013 World Series trophy. We also refer Massachusetts Politics with the hashtag #Mapoli.
Indians should hire Nap in a coaching job. Amazing guy, makes the team better with his presence.
Whenever his playing career ends (if it’s now or if he ends up coming back), I’d like the same. He’s a great guy to have around, and it seems like everyone in the organization loves him. They wouldn’t have made it to the World Series without him a few years ago.
I concur. He’s got the good vibes and energy any team would love to have. I don’t really see him as a future manager but as a coach on a AA squad he could be a good influence for prospects.
It gets forgotten since it’s not as recent but he was really beloved by Rangers fans. Had they been able to close out the series in 2011 he would have been the MVP. He even got the NA=PO=LI chant as a Red Sock when he came back as a visitor.
I say Brewers need to trade Thames. This is a fit for both sides, period.
Teams should have designated-foul-ball-chasers just like they have designated hitters to avoid tragedies like from happening!
Hard not to love Mike Napoli!
Time for MLB network to sign him !
I still can’t find any reports about the diagnosis of Napoli’s knee injury, and it’s been almost 48 hours since it happened. Has anyone heard anything today?
Always loved him when he was with the Rangers. I remember him getting a standing ovation when he came back the first time as an opponent after signing with the Red Sox. Shows how much everyone here liked the guy. Shame that we couldn’t make him a career Ranger.
Geez 10-14 months?? I hope that is factoring in his age because I had the same injury (played on a torn acl which over time tore my meniscus) and I came back in 4 months after surgery(6 month time table originally)
Had the same 2 surgeries plus a PCL and an HTO and never got back to normal. That was about 4 years ago and still need a brace to even go golfing.
Welp…
Hes retiring.
the party is off 🙁
This certainly will be the end of his playing career. He would be 38 by the time he could go to spring training. Tough way to go.
Bummer.
Sad for the career of a really good guy to end this way.
Make him the Indians hitting coach, he can’t do any worse than their current guy
Good Luck Napster…
It is difficult for this Red Sox fan to see Napoli’s career end in this way.The role he played in helping bring the 3rd WS Championship in this century to Boston cannot be exaggerated, both on the field and in the community during that great yet painful season.