Washington Nationals 2015 Player Review: Jonathan Papelbon

When the Washington Nationals acquired Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies prior to the trade deadline last season, the veteran right-hander was supposed to dominate in the closer’s role and help lead his new team to the World Series. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite work out that way.

Papelbon struggled in the ninth inning with the Nationals, going 2-2 with a 3.04 ERA, seven saves and two blown saves. Prior to the trade, Papelbon had been a perfect 17-for-17 in save opportunities while boasting  a 1.59 ERA with the Phillies.

Of course, the acquisition of Papelbon created several problems for the Nationals. For starters, it destroyed the confidence of former Nationals’ closer Drew Storen, who was demoted to the eighth inning role once the team brought Papelbon onboard.

The demotion not only crushed Storen’s confidence, but it also angered the right-hander and created a tense relationship between he and the front office. Given what happened last season, there’s a good chance general manager Mike Rizzo and the Nationals will look to trade Storen this winter.

Unfortunately for the Nationals, their problems with Papelbon wouldn’t end there. The fiery right-hander was involved in a dugout skirmish with Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper late in the season.

The incident led to a season-ending suspension for Papelbon and could ultimately end his time with the Nationals. While the team would lose both of its closing options if it traded Storen and Papelbon, it’s hard to see Papelbon playing another game with the Nationals after he choked the team’s most important and popular player.

All in all, the 2015 campaign was a tale of two seasons for the veteran right-hander. Papelbon was as good as he’s ever been while he was closing for the Phillies early in the season, but his struggles with the Nationals and the incident in the dugout brought a fittingly unceremonious conclusion to an up-and-down season.