Fansided

Jonathan Papelbon traded to Washington Nationals

By Josh Hill

May 18, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (58) delivers a pitch during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The Philies won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
May 18, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (58) delivers a pitch during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The Philies won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Washington Nationals have agreed to acquire Jonathan Papelbon in the most inevitable trade of the deadline.

Each year, the MLB trade deadline heats up the hot stove in a way that doesn’t happen any other time of the year. Teams are buying top players, selling franchise pillars and moving around pieces in a frantic manner that is insatiable to baseball fans. The most exciting form of a trade are the ones that we don’t see coming — but that’s not always the case.

In the case of Jonathan Papelbon, it was a foregone conclusion that he was going to get traded by the Philadelphia Phillies. The only question was who would agree to take him on. As it turns out, the Washington Nationals wanted him and they landed him — and they let the world know about it well ahead of time.

According to multiple reports, the inevitable trade that sends Jonathan Papelbon to the Washington Nationals has finally been agreed upon.

Papelbon will be the Nats new closer and bolsters their bullpen as the club attempts to win the NL East and make a run at the World Series. Washington has been a contender since they made the postseason for the first time since the 1930s a few seasons ago and they’re hungry to not get into a rut of losing in the first round.

Philadelphia needed to trade Papelbon and they made it happen. If they somehow bungled trading him and didn’t do it, it would have basically ruined the franchise. They’re already a joke to begin with, but that would have been a new level of hilarity that the franchise hasn’t sunk to yet.

Not being able to laugh at the Phillies about failing to trade Papelbon is really the only downside here.

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