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Papelbon’s meltdown cause for concern for Nationals

By Ted Fleming

Jul 26, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (58) walks off the field during a pitching change in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 26, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (58) walks off the field during a pitching change in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker says his closer “doesn’t look very good,” as the team’s lead in the National League East is shrinking.

Considering the Nationals were heavily involved in the Aroldis Chapman trade talks before the closer landed in Chicago with the Cubs, imagine how GM Mike Rizzo feels after watching his current closer, Jonathan Papelbon, fail to get an out as the Indians scored three times in the bottom of the ninth to win Tuesday night.

According to a report at NBC Sports, manager Dusty Baker summed up Papelbon’s performance in once sentence: “He doesn’t have his command, which is evident when you walk the leadoff hitter,” he said. “But it’s like, what do you say? How does he look? Right now he doesn’t look like Pap. He doesn’t look very good. Usually he doesn’t walk people like that.”

The story behind Papelbon’s arrival in Washington won’t make Baker feel any better. The Nationals already had a proven closer in Drew Storen in 2015, who posted 29 saves that year and once racked up 43 in a season, but Rizzo decided to get Papelbon in a Phillies salary dump before the deadline anyway. Storen was relegated to the setup role and his confidence went straight into the toilet before he was unceremoniously dumped on the Blue Jays over the winter.

Just after the halfway point in the season, Papelbon is saddled with a 2-4 record, a 4.18 ERA and a scary 1.42 WHIP.

It remains to be seen where Rizzo goes from here. The GM isn’t afraid to trade talent in order to help his club, but the situation in DC is getting to the point where he may have to overpay to land someone he can trust out of the pen.

The asking price for the Yankees’ Andrew Miller could be higher than it was for Chapman, given their respective contract situations. Miller is signed through the 2018 season with an average salary of just $9 million, very affordable by today’s standards.

The Royals’ Wade Davis is another who could be on the market. Kansas City is treading water just below the .500 mark and it will take a huge package to pry him away from the defending champions.

Any way you look at it, the Nationals are becoming desperate to land a closer. With the Marlins and last year’s NL champions, the Mets, hovering over Washington like buzzards, Rizzo’s next move could decide if they make the postseason or watch from home. Again.

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