The Philadelphia Phillies have come to an agreement with free agent closer Jonathan Papelbon, according to multiple sources. Details of the contract are still being finalized, but CSNPhilly reports the financial terms to be $50 million for four seasons, plus a vesting option for a fifth year. Papelbon will still have to pass a physical for the deal to be official, but there is no reason to think he won’t pass it.
This means Ryan Madson won’t be back in Philly, since he will command a similar salary to Papelbon, and the Phillies won’t pay that for an eighth-inning guy. The Phillies had reportedly locked up Madson for four years, $44 million plus a $13 million option for a fifth year, but GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. said those reports were false.
Papelbon’s new deal passes the $47 million contracts by B.J. Ryan and Joe Nathan as the largest given to a relief pitcher in baseball history. Papelbon was a four-time All-Star with the Boston Red Sox and recorded the final out of the Red Sox’s World Series championship in 2007.
Last year, Papelbon converted 31 of 34 saves, posted a 2.90 ERA, and struck out a career-high 12.2 batters per nine innings.
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