Billy Wagner is on his way to the Boston Red Sox.
After a few days of back-and-forth talks about Wagner's future, the New York Mets traded the left-handed reliever to the Red Sox on Tuesday for two players to be named.
The AL wild-card leaders had claimed Wagner on waivers. He'll join a strong bullpen that features All-Star closer Jonathan Papelbon.
"He wanted to be part of a pennant race," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said on a conference call. "We were able to get a couple of prospects for him. We felt it was the right thing to do."
The 38-year-old Wagner has pitched two scoreless innings since recently returning from major surgery on his left elbow last September.
Wagner ranks sixth all-time with 385 career saves, and said Monday that he wants to be a closer. He had said the Red Sox must guarantee it would decline his contract option for 2010 before he would approve a potential trade.
"I don't want to end my career as a setup man," Wagner said then.
Wagner has a no-trade clause in his contract, which includes an $8 million option for next year with a $1 million buyout. If his option is declined, he can become a free agent in the offseason and sign with any team.
Wagner has said he would like to pass John Franco (424) for the most saves by a left-handed pitcher.
Following a quicker-than-expected return from surgery and rehab, Wagner returned to the injury-ravaged Mets on Thursday night and struck out two in a perfect inning against Atlanta, with his fastball reaching 96 mph.
Wagner struck out two more in a hitless eighth inning Monday against first-place Philadelphia.
Here's Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, and he wasn't riverdancing around the issue...((HT: NECN))
So the Mets lose Wagner in a trade, lose Johan Santana to season-ending elbow surgery, and lose Jeff Francoeur to ligament damage in his thumb...
OSG Sports talked to Chipper Jones about what was going on with the Mets:
"It's been a tough year for them. We had a bad year with injuries a couple of years ago. They've had it times ten. But I would expect them to bounce back next year."
Yep... what he said.
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