From CSNNewEngland.com comes word that Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli underwent a procedure Tuesday at Massachussetts General Hospital designed to correct his sleep apnea.
The procedure, called a bimaxillary advancement, involves moving the upper and lower jaw forward to enlarge the airway in both the tongue and palate.
It should help Napoli’s breathing, especially during sleep, and the hope is that better rest will yield better on-field performance and improved overall health.
Napoli appeared in only 119 games in 2014 for the last-place Red Sox, batting .248 with a .789 OPS, 17 home runs, 20 doubles, and 55 RB in 119 games. He hit .259 with an .842 OPS, 23 home runs, 38 doubles, and 92 RBI across 139 games in 2013.
The 33-year-old is entering the final season of a two-year, $32 million contract.
