Just hours before Opening Day the Atlanta Braves traded their star closer, Craig Kimbrel, to the San Diego Padres. Another NL East team that is in rebuilding mode should soon do the same with their ninth-inning man.
The Philadelphia Phillies are perhaps in worse shape than the Braves. Their closer, Jonathan Papelbon, is owed $13 million in 2015 and will earn another $13 million in 2016 if he finishes 48 games this year. Philadelphia has no use for such an expensive reliever (especially one of the best in the MLB) because they likely won't be contenders over the next few seasons, so it is possible he's the team's next veteran to be dealt.
The Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays expressed interest in the right-hander earlier this offseason, but general manager Ruben Amaro couldn't get a deal done, with rumors suggesting a number of reasons. However, the Boston Red Sox recently placed their closer on the disabled list and have a thin bullpen that now features the shaky Edward Mujica as the ninth-inning man. Could Papelbon return to his former team if their bullpen can't get it together?
"According to multiple major-league sources, it is highly unlikely the Sox would make a move for Papelbon, even if 40-year-old closer Koji Uehara struggles to come back from the strained left hamstring that sidelined him for most of spring training and has forced him to begin the season on the disabled list," writes Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
Boston is already paying Uehara $18 million over the next two seasons, and adding Papelbon for a potential $26 million through 2016 will be a lot of money concentrated in the back end of the bullpen. It's no secret the Red Sox are in need of an upgrade among their cast of relievers, but giving up young value to inherit a costly aging veteran is likely not something general manager Ben Cherington is interested in doing.
"With the possible exception of right-hander Alexi Ogando, whose health problems last season prompted the Texas Rangers to non-tender him rather than offer salary arbitration, the Sox lack power arms in the late innings, having prioritized command over velocity in building their bullpen," adds Lauber. "Setup man Junichi Tazawa led the team last season with an average velocity of only 93.8 mph, while fill-in closer Edward Mujica is regarded more for his pinpoint control than a heat-seeking fastball."
As a result, if the Red Sox do opt to make a deal for a reliever, they will probably seek out a fresh arm that doesn't carry an excessive salary. Last week it was proposed they could trade for Kansas City Royals hard-throwing right-hander Wade Davis at some point in the season. Davis is five years younger than Papelbon and is much less of a financial risk.
Whatever the case, the Phillies could follow the Braves' lead and get rid of some players they simply have no need for given the current circumstances surrounding their club.
