The Reds have employed Mike Napoli for an unspecified function inside the group, WEEI’s Rob Bradford experiences (Bluesky hyperlink). Napoli spent the earlier 5 seasons on the Cubs’ workers as a high quality assurance coach after which as first base coach earlier than being let go in October.
New Reds supervisor Terry Francona is kind of accustomed to Napoli, as Napoli performed underneath Francona on the 2016 Indians group that fell simply wanting successful the World Sequence. Napoli hit .239/.335/.465 with 34 homers in 645 plate appearances as Cleveland’s on a regular basis first baseman/DH, bringing loads of pop to the membership’s run to the American League pennant. That ended up being the second-last season of Napoli’s 12-year profession within the majors, as his manufacturing fell off with the Rangers in 2017, and a return to Cleveland in 2018 didn’t end in any time on the massive league stage.
It isn’t but identified what Napoli’s duties will entail with the Reds, because the group has already introduced its teaching workers for Francona’s first season because the membership’s skipper. Co-bench coach Brad Mills and hitting coach Chris Valaika are new hires who even have previous Cleveland ties to Francona, although nearly all of the teaching workers are holdovers from former supervisor David Bell’s workers. Since there hasn’t but been phrase of any sudden departures from the Cincinnati workers, a brand new place might be created for Napoli to affix the combo, or is it doable Napoli is taking over a non-coaching job.
