Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon wants out of Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Phillies are having a horrible 2015 season, and All-Star reliever Jonathan Papelbon will not be happy if he is not dealt by the trade deadline.

Jonathan Papelbon is one of the best closers in baseball. He is also very unhappy with the Philadelphia Phillies’ disastrous season, and has not been shy in voicing his displeasure, using the days leading up to the 2015 All-Star Game as his soapbox to campaign for a trade out of Philadelphia.

Jonathan Papelbon said if he's still in philly "I won't be happy! But hat's not going to affect how I prepare"
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 13, 2015

Relations between the Phillies organization and its closer have hit rock bottom in recent weeks, with the 34-year old sharing some harsh words directed at the front office.

"“That’s not what I signed up for,” Papelbon told ESPN. “I signed up with a team that won 102 games, and I expected certain things. It didn’t happen, and I’ve tried to ride that ship and keep my mouth shut as much as I can. But it’s time for the Phillies to you-know-what or get off the pot.”"

A trade would certainly work out in the best interest of both parties.

Papelbon is a player that only has a few years left in the tank, yet is currently performing at an elite level. Despite his save and strikeout numbers being down due to a decrease in innings pitched, he has recorded a 1.60 earned run average, his best since 2006.

Likewise, the Phillies would greatly benefit by auctioning off the anchor of their bullpen. Having a reliable closer to secure the final three outs is a huge asset to a contender, but at 29-62 on the season, they simply do not have enough save opportunities to justify stashing an aging relief pitcher who commands a potentially high trade value on the roster.

While Papelbon has a legitimate reason to want out of Philadelphia, there is also no reason for the team to accept anything less than what they deem a worthy offer for their All-Star reliever. After all, it was his pursuit of a big contract that led to him signing with the Phillies. That being said, you can understand his frustration with joining a team that had won five consecutive division titles, only to watch them free-fall out of contention upon his arrival. Philadelphia hasn’t finished closer than 17 games back during his three seasons in Philadelphia.

Hopefully the organization is able reach a deal in the coming weeks that allows Papelbon to finish out the twilight of his career on a contending team, and lands the Phillies some prospects to build around so that they can emerge from the National League East cellar.

The front office has reportedly engaged in trade discussions with several teams regarding their disgruntled closer, including the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers.

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