Drew Storen traded by Nationals to Blue Jays for Ben Revere

The Washington Nationals had a few roster conundrums to solve when heading into the offseason. One of the biggest ones was what to do at closer.

After acquiring Jonathan Papelbon last season, and demoting Drew Storen yet again, they had to choose one, neither or to retain both and hope it works.

Friday night, they decided to keep Papelbon — for now. The Nationals traded Storen and cash to the Toronto Blue Jays for speedy outfielder Ben Revere and a player to be named later, the team announced.

Revere gives the Nationals a left-handed bat at the top of the lineup. Storen helps Toronto bolster the bullpen of a team that won 93 games and the American League East division last season.

Adding an outfielder a day after Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said he liked the team’s outfield depth likely moves Michael A. Taylor into a role as a fourth outfielder. Revere has played 405 games in center field, where Taylor excelled defensively, and 133 in left field. Having them together with Bryce Harper in right field can provide the Nationals with an excellent defensive outfield late in games, were they to spell veteran Jayson Werth.

“[Revere] plays center field extremely well,” Rizzo said. “We know he can hit at the top of the lineup. We got ourselves five really good outfielders right now that are going to compete for playing time. Jayson Werth and Harp, obviously, they’re going to get their at-bats whenever they’re able to do so.”

New manager Dusty Baker has also often said the team required more speed. Revere has averaged 44 stolen bases a year in his six major league seasons.

“When you look at the athleticism that we have, the accomplished major league hitters that we put on the roster — the guys that don’t strikeout much and move the ball around and we can play opportunistic offense — that’s what we were going into the offseason trying to do, and I think we’ve accomplished a lot of our goals,” Rizzo said.

Storen leaves after six seasons in the Nationals bullpen and will be remembered for being removed from the closer’s spot three times, multiple outstanding regular seasons and untamable postseason problems.

In addition to being ousted last season by the acquisition of Papelbon, Storen furthered his woes by slamming his thumb in the lockbox in his locker when angry in mid-September following a poor performance. His broken thumb ended his season.

In six years with the Nationals, Storen put together a 3.02 ERA. In 2011, he saved 43 games, but was shifted out of the role in 2012 and 2013. At the end of 2014, he was moved back to closer. In the National League Division Series, Storen had a 6.75 ERA in two games.

The most ignominious of his appearances came in the postseason. In 2012, Storen entered Game 5 of the NLDS with the Nationals leading, 7-5. He allowed four runs on three hits, blowing the save and series.

In 2014, then-manager Matt Williams called him in to record the final out in Game 2 of the NLDS. Jordan Zimmermann had dominated the San Francisco Giants for 8 2/3 innings. When he walked Joe Panik, Williams called on Storen with the Nationals in front, 1-0, and needing one out. A single followed by a double tied the game. The Nationals ended up losing in 18 innings. They lost the series, 3-1.

“Drew and I had a great conversation late last night,” Rizzo said. “He’s a guy that we drafted 10th in the country, brought to the big leagues fast and he really performed for us. Got a great affinity for Drew. The one thing Drew and I can say honestly is we’ve had some difficult conversations, but we had them eye to eye and man to man. This is a guy that cared about the organization and really handled himself in a professional way every single time.”

Even during his failures, or demotion from the closer’s role, Storen stood to face the media. When Papebon was acquired in a trade on July 28, 2015, Storen began to speak with the media less. He and his agent met with Rizzo to discuss the move.

The arrangement had positive early results. Storen pitched well as a setup man for Papelbon. But, by the end of the season, like so much else with the Nationals, the situation was a mess.

Storen had an 8.49 ERA in August and a 5.40 ERA in September before breaking his thumb. Papelbon choked Harper, the NL MVP, in the dugout. He was suspended the final week of the season without pay.

Papelbon’s role seems to have been confirmed by the extraction of Storen.

“If there is a baseball trade out there, then we’ll make it,” Rizzo said. “We see Papelbon as being one of our late-inning relievers. He’s been very effective at it his entire career, including last year, except for the last portion of the season.

“This guy is a quality reliever, quality closer. In the biggest stage you could be in, pitched the last out of a World Series game and got a World Series ring. He knows how to win. He brings a swagger to the bullpen. He’s a guy we’re going to rely on to pitch late-inning leverage innings.”

If it wasn’t clear prior that retaining both relievers was an untenable situation, it became clear by the end of the season. Also clear was that center fielder and leadoff hitter Denard Span, who signed a three-year, $31 million contract with the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, would not return following an injury-riddled season. Rizzo has often professed his positive view of Taylor, though he projects more as a bat in the second half of the lineup than at the top of it because of a high strikeout rate.

Pulling in Revere, 27, provides the Nationals a similar level of production as Span did. In two full seasons, and a truncated one, Span hit .292 with a .345 on-base percentage in Washington. Revere is a career .295 hitter with a .328 on-base percentage.

Revere joining the team the same week as second baseman Daniel Murphy allows Washington to balance what was a right-handed heavy lineup. Its lineup could look have left-handed Revere leading off, followed by second baseman Anthony Rendon, the left-handed Harper, either Werth or Ryan Zimmerman, the left-handed Murphy, Werth or Zimmerman, catcher Wilson Ramos and switch-hitting Danny Espinosa.

However, clarifying the lineup arrives at a cost of questions in the bullpen. Should Papelbon stay, he’s the closer. Felipe Rivero had an eye-opening first year in the majors last season and should find late-inning work. Right-handed relievers Shawn Kelley, signed as a free agent, and Trevor Gott, acquired in a trade for Yunel Escobar, were obtained in the offseason. Kelley, by far, has the most experience among that group of possible setup pitchers.

Blake Treinen and left-hander Oliver Perez, signed as a free agent, appear situational options. Right-handed batters hit .187 against Treinen last season; left-handers pulverized him. Left-handed batters hit only .231 against Perez over his career as a starter and reliever. They hit .185 against him last season.

“We feel good about where we’re at in the bullpen.” Rizzo said.

Moving Storen is one more step in the major changes to the Nationals since they won the NL East in 2014. Only 10 members of that season’s playoff roster are still with the organization.

“We feel comfortable with the roster in general and with the bullpen,” Rizzo said. “If we broke camp and started the season today, we’d be comfortable where we’re at.”