The Philadelphia Phillies are not going to make Jonathan Papelbon suffer any longer.
According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, the Phillies are going to trade Papelbon. However, it is unclear if the team will find a suitor for him before the trade deadline on Friday at 4 p.m. or if the veteran reliever will be moved after the non-waiver deadline.
As Salisbury notes, Papelbon has a $13 million contract option for next season that has already vested, so he would likely clear waivers if he was traded after Friday.
There is still a strong possibility that Papelbon will be traded within the next 72 hours. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Washington Nationals are “making progress” on a potential deal for Papelbon, but the 34-year-old is only going to approve a deal if he is guaranteed that he will be a closer. It’s unclear if the Nationals are willing to make that promise, as their current closer Drew Storen is tied for third in the majors with 29 saves and boasts a 1.73 ERA. Papelbon has also pitched well (1.59 ERA, 17 saves, no blown saves), but Washington shouldn’t feel the need to make a change.
If it comes down to Papelbon having to accept a setup role or remain in Philly, we doubt he’s going to block a trade. He has been very open about wanting to be traded, and you know what they say about beggars.
