NESN

Report: Red Sox Working Toward Contract Agreement With Mike Napoli, ‘Hopeful’ Deal Will Get Done

Mike Napoli still hasn’t tossed on a Red Sox jersey for the first time, but it doesn’t mean he won’t be doing so before long.

According to The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham, the Sox are working toward a contract agreement with Napoli, and they are “hopeful” that a deal will get done.

Napoli reportedly agreed to terms on a three-year, $39 million contract back on Dec. 3, but the club has yet to announce the deal, reportedly because of an issue that came up during the veteran’s physical. Reports indicate that the issue is related to a preexisting hip injury, and that the Red Sox have thus been seeking to make changes to the original deal that was in place.

General manager Ben Cherington and Co. have been rather mum on the topic of Napoli, but all indications are that the Red Sox are still very much interested in signing the 31-year-old to be their everyday first baseman in 2013.

Abraham reports that Napoli is not believed to have negotiated with other teams during the lengthy delay in finalizing a deal, and the Red Sox continue to be focused on signing Napoli despite not closing the door on other options.

Among those other players believed to have drawn interest from the Red Sox is first baseman Adam LaRoche, although signing him would require Boston to surrender a second-round draft pick in addition to making a serious financial commitment.

Photo via Facebook/Mike Napoli