After a sudden change of heart, the Mets have agreed to send Billy Wagner to the Mets in exchange for two players to be named later.
The deal was believed to be held up by the Sox's refusal to not only decline the option, but to not offer him arbitration, which would make him more valuable to a team because they would not lose any draft picks to sign him.
In exchange for Wagner waiving his no-trade clause, the Red Sox agreed not to exercise his $8 million option for 2010. However, the Sox maintained the right to offer Wagner arbitration, rejecting another condition he had sought as part of the deal.
Wagner is known for his competitive nature, and should help the Red Sox in the later innings. This is a good opportunity for Papelbon as he now will work with one of the best closers in recent memory. While Papelbon was not thrilled about the possibility of Wagner coming in, he must put that aside and work with his new teammate.