Mike Napoli

Mike Napoli entered Friday's game against the Yankees leading the Indians with 27 homers and 77 RBI.

(Orlin Wagner, Associated Press)

NEW YORK -- Teams usually don't like to discuss contract extensions during the season. They say it can be a distraction to the player they're interested in and his teammates.

Mike Napoli is not worried about distractions if the Indians want to talk about keeping him in Cleveland past the 2016 season.

"People try to say it's a distraction or whatever," said Napoli. "I'm always up for anything. Yeah, I love it here. From the guys in the clubhouse, the front office, the training staff, the cooks. Everything has been wonderful.

"I'm not opposed to it."

The Indians, at this point, would prefer to wait to the offseason.

Napoli, 34, entered Friday's game against the Yankees hitting .250 (95-for-380) with a team-high 27 homers and 77 RBI. His streak of five homers in five straight games ended Thursday, but he was just as excited about stealing a base in the first inning and drawing a two-out walk in the third to bring Carlos Santana to the plate.

Santana responded with a three-run homer as the Indians beat the Twins, 9-2, to end a three-game losing streak.

The Indians signed Napoli in December to a one-year $7.5 million deal. He has turned out to be one of the best bargains in baseball.

"He's had an affect on everybody in that clubhouse," said manager Terry Francona.

Napoli, tied for fourth in the AL in homers and RBI, leads the big leagues with nine homers since the All-Star break.

"You go through your different hot streaks throughout the year," said Napoli. "Now when I'm making contact, it's real solid contact. That's how it goes sometimes."

Napoli enjoyed hitting five homers in as many games. What power hitter wouldn't, but the fact that the Indians lost three of those games took some of the sizzle away.

"It's a cool thing, but it stinks when you're not winning," said Napoli. "It wasn't something I could really appreciate, especially when you lose three games in a row."