Rangers table long-term extension talks with Mike Napoli - MLB

According to beat writer T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com, the Rangers are no longer aiming to work out a long-term contract extension this winter with catcher Mike Napoli. Here’s general manager Jon Daniels:

“We love Mike and we’re not closing the door on anything but right now we are focused on a one-year deal.”

Napoli is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility and will hit the free agent market with a bang next fall if the two sides fail to work out a long-term deal at some point during the 2012 campaign.

The 30-year-old catcher batted .320/.414/.631 with 30 home runs and 75 RBI in 113 regular season games last year for Texas before going 19-for-58 (.328) with three homers and 15 RBI in the playoffs.

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Guardians traded outfielder Will Benson to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday for outfielder Justin Boyd.

The defending AL Central champions also will get a player to be named from the Reds in the swap.

Cincinnati drafted Boyd in the second round last year out of Oregon State. He led the Pac-12 with a .373 batting average and 24 steals in 2022. The 21-year-old batted .203 in 73 at-bats for Class-A Daytona.

The 6-foot-5 Benson spent 28 games with the Guardians last season, batting .182 with three RBIs in 28 games. The 24-year-old struggled at the plate, striking out 19 times in just 55 at-bats.

Benson was once considered one of Cleveland’s top outfield prospects, but has since been surpassed by Steven Kwan, Oscar Gonzalez and Will Brennan.