Mike Napoli's season over after tearing ACL, meniscus at Triple-A

Mike Napoli's hopes of returning to the major leagues in 2018 have come to an end thanks to a devastating knee injury.

The former All-Star first baseman, a veteran of multiple pennant-winning teams over his 12-year career, will need season-ending knee surgery after suffering a torn ACL and meniscus while playing for the Cleveland Indians' Triple-A affiliate earlier this week, the Indians announced Friday.

It's estimated that Napoli will need about 10-to-14 months to recover from the surgery, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. There's a distinct possibility that the injury could end the 36-year-old's career.

Napoli was playing first base for the Columbus Clippers on Tuesday when he tripped over home plate in the on-field bullpen at Huntington Park while trying to catch a foul pop-up, and had to be carted off the field.

Even before an official diagnosis was announced, people inside the Indians organization feared the worst for Napoli, who's been a beloved clubhouse presence and fan favorite on every team he's played for.

On Wednesday, Indians manager Terry Francona hinted that the injury might be career-threatening, saying: "He was an impact player. My guess is he'll impact the game doing something else now."

The 36-year-old Napoli hit 29 homers (despite a .193 average) for the Texas Rangers in 2017, but was forced to rejoin the Indians on a minor-league deal in spring training. After failing to make the team, he opted to start his 2018 season in Triple-A with hopes of landing a big-league job later in the year.

Over his 12 seasons in the major leagues with the Indians, Rangers, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Angels, Napoli hit .246/.346/.475 with 267 home runs, 224 doubles, and 744 RBIs. The 2012 All-Star helped the Rangers and Indians to AL pennants in 2011 and '16, respectively, and was a critical piece of Boston's 2013 World Series championship team.