Former All-Star, World Series champion Mike Napoli retires

After a 12-year career spanning four teams, former catcher and first baseman Mike Napoli announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Saturday.

"After much consideration with my family, I have decided to retire from the game of baseball," the 37-year-old announced on Twitter while also thanking fans, coaches, teammates, and media in Anaheim, Texas, Boston, and Cleveland.

The Anaheim Angels' 17th-round selection in the 2000 MLB Draft, Napoli broke into the league in 2006 as a catcher, posting a .228/.360/.455 slash line with 16 home runs in 99 games.

Prior to the 2011 season, the Angels traded Napoli to the Toronto Blue Jays along with Juan Rivera for Vernon Wells. Four days later, the Jays sent Napoli to the Texas Rangers for Frank Francisco.

In two seasons with the Rangers, Napoli began shifting toward being a first baseman and designated hitter, a transition made in part because of leg and shoulder injuries suffered earlier in his career. He authored a .931 OPS with 54 homers during his first stay with Texas, earning his first and only All-Star appearance in 2011.

Following the 2012 campaign and no longer able to play behind the dish, Napoli signed a one-year, $5-million deal with the Boston Red Sox. After helping lead the club to its 2013 World Series win, Boston re-signed the first baseman to a two-year, $32-million contract. Before the conclusion of that contract, the Red Sox traded Napoli back to the Rangers.

Napoli then signed a one-year, $7-million deal with the Cleveland Indians, and he helped them reach the World Series before losing in seven games to the Chicago Cubs.

In 2017, Napoli returned once more to the Rangers and saw his last major-league action.

Prior to the 2018 season, the Indians signed Napoli to a minor-league deal, hoping to draw interest from another club. Napoli wound up suffering ACL and meniscus tears while with Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate and needing season-ending surgery.