BOSTON -- Five years after leaving as a free agent, could former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon be shipping back to Boston?
"It just happened," Boston Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told ESPN.com, referring to Papelbon's release from the Washington Nationals, "but I'd say it's worth looking into."
Papelbon requested and received his release Saturday, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo announced. The 35-year-old right-hander has allowed eight earned runs in his past five appearances after being displaced as the closer when Washington acquired Mark Melancon from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a trade-deadline deal.
In 37 appearances this season, Papelbon has a 4.37 ERA and 19 saves in 22 opportunities. By virtue of releasing Papelbon, the Nationals are responsible for the remainder of his $11 million salary this year.
Papelbon is the Red Sox's all-time saves leader, notching 219 from 2005-11, and threw the clinching pitch of the 2007 World Series. But the Red Sox let him walk after the 2011 season, and he signed a five-year, $61 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.
According to FanGraphs.com, Papelbon's average fastball velocity has declined steadily over the past few years, from 95.0 mph in 2011 to 93.8 in 2012, 92 in 2013, 91.3 in 2014 and 90.9 this season. Likewise, his strikeouts per nine innings have fallen from 12.17 in 2011 to 8.32 in 2013 to 7.97 this season.
The Red Sox are still trying to sort out their setup options for closer Craig Kimbrel. Koji Uehara remains sidelined with a strained right pectoral muscle, leaving Junichi Tazawa, Brad Ziegler and Matt Barnes as the top choices to pitch the seventh and eighth innings.
But Tazawa has appeared fatigued at times and has allowed four runs in his past 1 1/3 innings entering Saturday night's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ziegler, acquired from Arizona on July 9, has a 3.18 ERA in 12 apperances and has blown two of five save opportunities.
