Free agency gives players an opportunity to see what’s out there. It sounds like Mike Napoli might use that opportunity.
According to Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan, Napoli wants to shop around after receiving a multi-year offer from the Red Sox. In other words, despite the mutual interest that exists between Napoli and the Sox, a return isn’t a guarantee.
Napoli received a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Red Sox on Monday. It seemed unlikely that Napoli would accept the offer given the overall market and the likelihood of him securing a multi-year deal, and Passan’s report seemingly confirms (indirectly) that logic. The deadline for free agents to accept qualifying offers is Monday at 5 p.m. ET.
Napoli hit .259 with 23 homers and 92 RBIs in his first season in Boston. It looked at one point last offseason like Napoli was going to sign with the Red Sox on a three-year deal, but the contract shrunk to one year due to concerns about a hip condition. The slugger certainly silenced those concerns this season, and the two sides have expressed interest in continuing their relationship.
Passan’s report doesn’t mention any specifics regarding the multi-year deal that the Red Sox reportedly offered Napoli.
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