5 Notes from Indians vs Reds 4-4 Tie

2. Napoli’s Tribe Spring Training Debut

One of the Tribe’s biggest off-season acquisitions, Mike Napoli, started at first base and went 2-for-3 with two singles, scoring a run.

The 34-year-old is likely to split time between designated hitter and first base in 2016. Napoli hit .224 with 18 home runs and 50 RBI in 2015, but Tribe fans should be even more encouraged by how he finished the season, hitting .295 in the final 35 games with the Texas Rangers after being traded from Boston. He hit just .207 in 98 games with the Red Sox.

If Napoli can pick up where he left off at the end of 2015, he could be an impact bat in a lineup that struggled to produce runs in much of 2015 and is without two key contributors (Michael Brantley and Abraham Almonte) to start the season.

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