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5 former Red Sox eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot in 2023

By Sean Penney

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 29: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) John Lackey #41 of the Boston Red Sox in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 8-5. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 29: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) John Lackey #41 of the Boston Red Sox in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 8-5. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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Red Sox 1B Mike Napoli
BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 11: Mike Napoli #12 of the Boston Red Sox takes a swing during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 11, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Orioles won 6-5. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli

Years with Red Sox: 2013-2015 (356 games)
HOFm score: 17

The Red Sox were in desperate need of a makeover in the wake of a last-place finish that saw the clubhouse mutiny against manager Bobby Valentine. A blockbuster trade in August of 2012 shed a significant amount of payroll, allowing the front office to retool the roster around high-character veterans who could restore the team’s chemistry. Mike Napoli was one of those veterans.

Napoli was coming off an All-Star season with the Texas Rangers when he signed with the Red sox for the 2013 season. He mashed 23 homers and drove in a career-high 92 RBI that year.

The roster reshuffling worked to perfection as the Red Sox went from worst to first to capture a World Series title. Napoli played a key role in that championship run, hitting .300 with a pair of homers in the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers. That included a solo shot in a 1-0 Game 3 victory.

Napoli hit .242 with a .785 OPs over parts of three seasons with the Red Sox. He was traded back to Texas at the 2015 deadline and finished the year strong for the Rangers.

In 12 seasons, Napoli hit .246/.346/.475 with 267 home runs.

He’s not going to get much consideration for the Hall of Fame but Napoli established himself as a fan-favorite in Boston who helped change the culture of the clubhouse and he was a valuable member of a World Series championship team.

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