That's why the New York Mets reliever says Boston must guarantee it will decline his contract option for 2010 before he would approve a potential trade to the Red Sox, who already have an All-Star closer in Jonathan Papelbon.
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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 confirmed Monday that Boston placed a waiver claim on him last Friday. The Mets have until Tuesday to trade him to the Red Sox, pull him back off waivers or assign him to Boston for nothing in return.
Wagner hasn't pitched since last Thursday, and his possible participation in the Mets' game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday may be a factor in determining whether he ultimately winds up with the Red Sox.
In conversations with ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Sunday evening, sources raised the question of whether Wagner is at 100 percent.
He did not pitch in the first three games of the Mets-Phillies series at Citi Field this weekend. The Red Sox are in the process of trying to get clarification of Wagner's physical status. Privately, the Mets say there is not a problem with the pitcher, but that can most clearly be demonstrated if Wagner pitches Monday.
By rule, if any player who has been placed on waivers has any kind of physical problem, then the team that placed him on waivers is required to withdraw that player from waivers. If the Mets were to do that, this would, of course, end any chance of him being moved to Boston.
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