For years, the Indians have been searching for a big right-handed hitter.
Now that they’ve found Mike Napoli, they must find a way to keep him.
But the future of the first baseman/designated hitter in Cleveland is complicated. The risks in re-signing him are high, especially since Napoli turns 35 on Oct. 31.
His one-year, $7 million contract that included another $3 million in performance bonuses ($1 million already earned) turned out to be a bargain for the American League Central leaders. In 2017, that won’t be the case.
Napoli is having a career year, already reaching highs in home runs (33), RBI (94), plate appearances (511) and runs scored (87) and will want to be rewarded for it.