MLB PLAYER NEWS

Nats move to strengthen team, hold off Mets

The Sports Xchange

July 29, 2015 at 1:11 am.

 Jonathan Papelbon landed in a good spot with the Nationals. Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Jonathan Papelbon landed in a good spot with the Nationals. Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

MIAMI — The Washington Nationals feel the New York Mets coming, and that helps to explain the moves made Tuesday.

The Nationals acquired closer Jonathan Papelbon from the Philadelphia Phillies for cash considerations and Double-A right-hander Nick Pivetta.

Washington general manager Mike Rizzo called Papelbon before the deal was consummated and got him to waive his no-trade clause. The Nationals will also pick up Papelbon’s 2016 contract, but the team and the closer agreed to lower the amount of salary owed next year from $13 million to $11 million.

“He’s a proven, elite closer,” Rizzo said of Papelbon.

Papelbon stated he would not waive his no-trade deal to go to a team where he would not be the closer. Because of that, the Nationals will make current closer Drew Closer their set-up man.

Storen is 29 for 31 in save situations this year. Papelbon is 17 for 17.

Rizzo said he also talked to Storen before the trade was made.

“He took it like a professional,” Rizzo said. “We’ve had frank discussions throughout his whole career. We have a great rapport, but that news is difficult to take.”

In addition to the trade, the Nationals also activated two of their top hitters off the disabled list, putting first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and left fielder Jayson Werth in their lineup for the first time in well over one month.

Zimmerman, who had plantar fasciitis, had not played since June 9. He is hitting .209 with five homers and 34 RBIs. But he hit a total of 51 homers from 2012-13.

Werth, who had a fractured left wrist, had not played since May 15. He is hitting .208 with two homers and 12 RBIs. But he totaled 41 homers in his two previous seasons.

“It’s nice to have them back,” Nationals manager Matt Williams said. “They’re healthy. They feel good. We’ll have to monitor as we go — day games after night games, back to back, three (games) in a row, stuff like that.

“But they are both ready. They were here yesterday working out. They feel ready to go, and that’s important for us.”

The Nationals still have two key players on the disabled list — center fielder Denard Span and starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg.

But even with the activations of Zimmerman and Werth and the addition of Papelbon, do the Nationals have enough to hold off the Mets and their impressive pitching staff?

The Mets added four players in the past five days, calling up their top rookie hitting prospect Michael Conforto and trading for third baseman Juan Uribe, second baseman Kelly Johnson and set-up reliever Tyler Clippard.

A former Nationals pitcher, Clippard was quoted in the New York newspapers on Tuesday as saying that Washington was “beatable” and adding that the Mets’ rotation is just as good if not better than that of his former team and current rival.

One thing for sure: The Mets, who host the Nationals for three games this weekend, are a threat to Washington.