First baseman and designated hitter Mike Napoli is ending his professional career after 13 years. Napoli, who last played for Texas Rangers in 2017, announced his retirement on Saturday via a statement posted on his social media.
“Thank you fans, coaches, teammates, and the media members and organizations in Anaheim, Texas, Boston and Cleveland,” – Napoli wrote. “You supported me, believed in me and gave me a platform to be successful on and off the field. You helped shape who I am as both a person and player, as I grew up right in front of your eyes.”
Napoli added that although he won’t be playing baseball anymore, he will stay close to the game and explore other opportunities.
“This is the end of my playing career, but the beginning of the next chapter in my professional life — one window closes and another one opens. I look forward to exploring opportunities in the baseball world as I plan to continue giving back to the game that has given me so much.” – he continued.
THANK YOU… pic.twitter.com/CzhaoU9YUH
— Mike Napoli (@MikeNapoli25) December 8, 2018
During his MLB career, Mike Napoli played for Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians, while having three separate stints with the Texas Rangers. He had three World Series trips, winning one of them in 2013 with the Red Sox.
Napoli’s career stats include .246 batting average, 267 home runs, and 744 RBI.
