TORONTO — It looks as if Jonathan Papelbon will get his wish and be traded.
“Papelbon will be traded,” a baseball source with knowledge of the situation told CSNPhilly.com on Tuesday.
The question is where?
And when?
Papelbon’s $13 million contract option for next season (which becomes guaranteed when he finishes 14 more games) makes it likely he would clear waivers, which would make him eligible to be traded after Friday’s 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline.
But signs point to Papelbon being traded before the deadline.
Where?
Fox Sports reports that Papelbon could be headed to the NL East rival Washington Nationals. The Phillies would likely have to agree to pay part of Papelbon’s option for next season to get a deal done. That should not be a problem as the Phils are eager to move Papelbon.
MLB
There could be one more potential snag: Papelbon, who has limited no-trade rights, has said numerous times that he would not OK a trade to a team unless that team plans to use him as the closer. Washington is one of the teams that Papelbon can block on his no-trade list. Would the Nats move current closer Drew Storen, currently third in the NL with 29 saves, to the eighth inning to facilitate a deal?
Stay tuned.
Papelbon, 34, is 17 for 17 in save chances this season.
Meanwhile on the Cole Hamels front, the Phillies continue to speak with a number of teams about a deal involving the lefty. Multiple sources tell CSNPhilly.com that the Texas Rangers remain the most likely trade partner. According to Fox Sports, the Phillies scouted the Rangers’ Double A team on Monday. CSNPhilly.com has learned that the Phils also scouted the Rangers’ Triple A team on Monday.
The Phils and Rangers have been talking about a Hamels deal since the winter. The Phillies like several of the Rangers’ power bats, including Nomar Mazara, Nick Williams and Jorge Alfaro. Alfaro is a catcher and that’s attractive to the Phillies. But he has been sidelined with an ankle injury so the Phils would have to take that into consideration.
Several other teams remain on Hamels, most notably the Dodgers.
Barring any significant change — and that’s always possible at this time of year — the climate does seem right for the Phillies to deal Hamels before the deadline.
Papelbon, too.