It finally looks like the stars are aligning. Philadelphia Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon publicly stated he doesn't feel as if he's part of his current club and the Toronto Blue Jays are having serious issues at the back end of their bullpen. Here come the rumors.
On Thursday manager John Gibbons told reporters Brett Cecil, at least temporarily, will no longer be Toronto's closer after last night's outing against the New York Yankees, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.
Cecil came on in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and let three runs score on a wild pitch, a hit batsman and an RBI single.
Chisholm noted the left-hander's velocity was down to 87-88 mph on Wednesday night and Cecil admitted he's "probably a couple of weeks behind everybody else." He dealt with shoulder soreness during spring training and was shut down for a short period of time, and those lost reps are clearly affecting what he's capable of.
Now that he'll be responsible for seventh and eighth inning duties as the team moves forward without a traditional closer, does this officially open the door for serious trade talks with the Phillies about acquiring Papelbon?
Earlier today we speculated the Phillies could ramp up their efforts to trade Papelbon after the closer's comments on Wednesday night. The 34-year-old told the Boston Globe he doesn't "really feel much like a Phillie" and "it's been a tough transition" since his arrival over three seasons ago. He also said earlier in the offseason he would be interested in a trade to the Blue Jays if a deal were to be worked out.
Blue Jays' general manager Alex Anthopoulos was present during one of Papelbon's outings during spring training shortly after Cecil was named the team's closer, so it's clear Toronto was still at least sniffing around to see if he'd be a worthwhile option if things were to fall apart in the bullpen.
The problem with Papelbon is that he's owed $13 million in 2015 and if he finishes 48 games this season his $13 million vesting option will kick in for next season, potentially making him a two-year, $26 million commitment. On top of that, the Phillies want a top prospect in return for his services as well as (in rumored cases) full financial relief from his deal.
However, it appears the Blue Jays are in dire need of bullpen help, which means they could eventually give in to the Phillies' demands if late-game situations significantly affect their ability to win.
At this point it's just connecting the dots with all the speculation, but one can't help but think Toronto is considering such a move with the current state of their bullpen.
