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Dombrowski not optimistic Red Sox will sign Papelbon

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

As the clock ticks down, a Boston Red Sox-Jonathan Papelbon reunion is beginning to make less sense.

Papelbon still hasn't decided where to sign since the Washington Nationals released him on Aug. 13, but Red Sox general manager Dave Dombrowski isn't optimistic it'll be in Boston.

"We had interest in him, and we expressed that to him,” Dombrowski told WEEI's Rob Bradford, saying manager John Farrell and several players reached out to Papelbon. “I’m not sure if he’s going to sign or not. I know he has a lot of strong feelings about Boston if he decides to sign. It’s just more of a situation where his agent says he’s not ready to make a decision."

Complicating matters is that Papelbon hasn't pitched in nearly a month, and that he compiled a subpar 4.37 ERA while striking out 31 batters over 35 innings for Washington this season.

"It becomes complicated because he hasn’t thrown in a game since Aug. 6," Dombrowski said. "So you’re in a position where you just can’t thrust him out there. I don’t know what he’s been doing as far as throwing is concerned. I would doubt that he’s been throwing a lot.

"So you would have to go back out there and build up his arm strength and be in a position to face some hitters," he added. "It’s not just inserting him like it would be if you signed him right off the bat.”

The Red Sox are two games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East as of Monday, but sit atop the wild-card race.

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