UPDATE: Mike Napoli has been claimed off of waivers by the Boston Red Sox.
The Angels have until Tuesday to work out a trade with the Red Sox or Napoli remains an Angel.
Reports from many media sources confirm that Mike Napoli has been claimed on waivers. American League teams would have the first chance to claim a player waived by an American League team so the logical conclusion is that a contending Ameircan League team has claimed him.
Napoli was not in the lineup for Sunday's game in Anaheim against Baltimore, a sign that the Angels are taking every precaution to not have their slugging catcher get injured prior to a trade.
The White Sox have the worst record of any team still in the AL hunt. However, a team out of contention might look kindly on two more years of arbitration-ruled club control for Napoli. Could the Detroit Tigers have made a claim and will offer Miguel Cabrera in a trade to the Angels for Napoli? Cabrera's hefty salary and tipsy reputation would have had an easier chance at clearing waivers than many sluggers. Players claimed on waivers can only be traded to the claiming team. All players involved in a trade that are on a major league club's 40-man roster.
All trades must be finalized by 10:30 AM Tuesday morning.