BOSTON – Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli will have surgery to treat a sleeping disorder.
The team says Napoli will have the procedure next month.
Napoli suffers from sleep apnea. The disorder occurs when someone briefly stops breathing during sleep. It can disrupt sleep, leading to fatigue. The surgery involves repositioning the jaws and sometimes the tongue to keep the windpipe from becoming obstructed.
Napoli told WEEI.com in Boston that he’s been dealing with sleep apnea for a long time and has tried less drastic solutions like a mouthpiece or medicine.
A year after helping the Red Sox win the World Series, Napoli batted .248 with 17 homers and 55 RBIs this season while fighting injuries to his finger, toe, knee and back.
