The Phillies’ hurdles in trading Jonathan Papelbon only grow higher and higher.
There is the contract problem: Papelbon is making $13 million this year, due $13 million next year and has a $13 million vesting option for 2016 – and the vest is somewhat routinely attainable.
There is that two of the teams most in need of closers already have acted — the Angels landed Huston Street from the Padres and the Tigers acquired Joakim Soria from the Rangers.
And then there is this: Papelbon has a no-trade clause and has let the Phillies know he will not accept a trade to a place where he will be a setup man or in a shared closer situation. It is closing or nothing.