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Report: Rangers will not exercise Napoli's 2018 option

Greg M. Cooper / USA TODAY Sports

Mike Napoli's heading toward free agency.

According to the Dallas News' Evan Grant, the Texas Rangers have reportedly informed Napoli they will not exercise his $11-million option for 2018. Instead, the club will pay Napoli $2.5 million to buy him out, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Napoli's return to the Lone Star State did not go as well as he or the Rangers had hoped. After slashing .239/.335/.465 in 150 games with the Cleveland Indians in 2016, Napoli failed to find his bat after agreeing to a guaranteed one-year deal with Texas, hitting just .193/.285/.428 in 124 games this season.

The 35-year-old, who is coming off his third stint with the Rangers, owns a career .246/.346/.475 slash line with 267 home runs.

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