After Jonathan Papelbon questioned whether Wagner would be useful in the Boston bullpen, Wagner fired back with some thoughts of his own.
"I don't have any thoughts on somebody like him," Wagner told The New York Post. "When he walks in my shoes, then I'll say something. Let him be 38 and have Tommy John [surgery] and come back."
Wagner has a 39-37 record and 385 saves in his 15-year career, while Papelbon is 14-11 with 142 saves in his five-year career. On Saturday, Papelbon wondered aloud to WEEI.com if Wagner could help the Red Sox.
“What has he done? Has he pitched this year?” Papelbon said. “Is he ready to pitch or is he not? … I think our bullpen is good where we’re at right now. Don’t get me wrong. But I guess you could always make it better. It’s kind of like the [Eric] Gagne thing, I guess.”
Papelbon later cleared up his comments, saying that Wagner is a great pitcher and would add depth but his arrival would mean someone else's departure.
Late on Sunday, a report surfaced that said the deal likely won't get done after the Sox denied a pair of requests made by Wagner in order to waive his no-trade clause.
Still, as with anything, nothing's over until the deadline passes. Until then, the two closers have some time to warm up to the idea of Wagner joining Papelbon and Co. in the bullpen band.
