Mike Napoli is headed back to the Lone Star State.
The Boston Red Sox on Friday traded the veteran first baseman to the Texas Rangers, according to multiple reports.
Rob Bradford of WEEI.com was the first to report news of the deal, which came one week after Major League Baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline.
Napoli, who earlier this week was placed on revocable waivers, is in the midst of the worst offensive season of his career. After playing a key role on Boston’s 2013 World Series championship team, his production slowly has diminished, to the the point that he now is on pace for single-season career lows in average (.207), on-base percentage (.307), slugging percentage (.386) and WAR (0.8).
With the trade, Napoli returns for a second tour of duty with the Rangers, for whom he played two seasons from 2011 to 2012. That 2011 campaign was the best of the 33-year-old’s career, as he posted a .320/.414/.631 slash line with 30 home runs, 75 RBIs and a 5.6 WAR.
Napoli initially was in the Red Sox’s lineup for Friday night’s matchup with the Detroit Tigers before being removed minutes before first pitch.
UPDATE (8:10 p.m. ET): The Red Sox have confirmed the trade, announcing they also sent cash considerations to the Rangers and will receive a player to be named later or cash in return.
