Jonathan Papelbon has never been one to hold back and now he is letting the Washington Nationals know how Juan Soto probably feels about them.
The former closer, who pitched for the Nationals as well as the Phillies and Red Sox, saw a tweet that said Washington “refused” to charter Soto a flight to the Home Run Derby after he rejected their $440 million extension offer.
Papelbon quote tweeted this and delivered a message to the Nationals “for Soto.”
Soto, who won the Home Run Derby, flew commercial instead and arrived in Los Angeles at 1:30 a.m. early Monday morning before competing in the Derby later that day.
It was just another twist in the saga that has played out between Soto and the Nationals, who are now accepting trade offers for the 23-year-old All-Star.
It would not be the first time the Nationals would let a star player leave.
Last year they had a fire sale at the trade deadline, allowing Trea Turner to go in a trade, packaged with Max Scherzer, to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
They let Anthony Rendon walk in free agency after winning the World Series and were unable to re-sign Bryce Harper the year prior.
The offer they gave Soto, which was over 15 years, would have paid him $29.3 million on an annual average salary, with a good chunk in deferments. Recent reports suggest Scott Boras is seeking a deal that would pay Soto $43 million annually.
As for Papelbon, he has had his issues with the Nationals in the past. The reliever had filed a grievance against them in 2015 over docked pay for when the teams suspended him for choking teammate Bryce Harper in the dugout.
He eventually re-signed with the Nationals in 2016 but was designated for assignment after losing the closer role and would not pitch in the majors again.
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