Looks like Jonathan Papelbon has more teammates standing in his corner.
Former Nationals reliever Drew Storen told TuneIn’s “The Bullpen with David Aardsma” in January that Papelbon would win a “legit fight” against Bryce Harper.
“I gotta take Pap,” said Storen, who signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds this offseason. “This is a shot in the dark because I don’t know either’s fighting ability, but the one thing about Pap, when I saw him in person in the clubhouse, as opposed to on the field, he’s a really big guy.
“I later found out that he got recruited to play tight end at Mississippi State along with playing baseball. He’s a very big human being, so just from that principle alone, I’m going to take the size. And he’s got the eyes, he’s got the look that he knows how to fight.”
Storen, who appeared in 57 games for the Blue Jays and Mariners last season, is referring to the infamous Sept. 28, 2015, scuffle between Harper and the Nationals’ then-closer. After Harper flied out in the eighth inning, Papelbon (6-foot-5, 230 pounds) started running his mouth as Harper (6-3, 215) approached the dugout. The two jawed it out before Papelbon lunged toward Harper’s neck, pinned the 2015 NL MVP against the back of the dugout bench and all hell broke loose.
[mlbvideo id=”505505983″ width=”640″ height=”360″ /]
After the embarrassing incident, Papelbon was suspended for the remainder of the 2015 season. Harper, who won the NL MVP that season, said he was fine playing with Papelbon, who remained until last August, when the Nationals released him. At different times, Nationals manager Dusty Baker and general manager Mike Rizzo also praised Papelbon as a teammate.
Now, former Nationals infielder Danny Espinosa hummed the same line, describing Papelbon as “one of the best teammates I’ve ever had.”
“Great guy,” Espinosa said on Thom Loverro’s “Cigars and Curveballs” podcast. “I really like Pap. He’d take care of anybody for that team. If we were going to get in a fight, he’d be the first one out there. He’s what you want in a teammate.”
Papelbon, 36, remains unsigned after a miserable 2016 season. The six-time All Star posted a career-high 4.37 ERA with just 19 saves before he lost his job to Mark Melancon.