Closing Time: The last days of Jonathan Papelbon?

The Nationals are in a good spot as we get ready for the final third of the baseball season. They’re five games clear in the NL East, just about a sure playoff team.

But in the ninth inning, nothing is sure in Washington these days.

We mentioned Jonathan Papelbon’s slump earlier in the week, and the mess continued Thursday at San Francisco. Papelbon allowed two of three batters to reach in the ninth inning, protecting a three-run lead, and with that, Dusty Baker went to a quick hook. Lefty Oliver Perez faced a couple of batters (one reached, one retired), and then Shawn Kelley ended the game with a strikeout.

Baker wasn’t showing his bullpen blueprint after the game. “I don’t know,” Baker said, when asked about the closer usage. “You’re asking me some questions, and the game just ended. I don’t know at this point.”

Kelley’s sitting on the waiver wire in 80 percent of Yahoo leagues, despite his 3.08 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and obvious standing as the guy most likely to step in if the Nats want to jettison Papelbon. I realize formats differ and all that (feel free to write the “it’s all contextual” treatise in the comments), but that number still strikes me as low. Meanwhile, Papelbon’s stats are an expanding mess: 4.41 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, along with declining velocity. He looks like the 35-year-old reliever that he is.

A trade is always a possibility, of course. Maybe the Nats could whisper the right words to the Yankees, bring back one of their shutdown relievers. There are other non-contenders with items to shop. If I ran the club, I’d just let Kelley handle the ninth and let the Papelbon chips fall where they may, but it’s their issue, not mine. I don’t have any Papelbon shares, and Kelley is gone in my aggressive save-chasing pools. But perhaps it’s not too late for your speculation play.

• What do we do with 29-year-old batters who post a career year out of thin air?

Root for them to stay put.

Eduardo Nunez has been a revelation for the Twins this year, a league-winner out of nowhere. A non-draftable commodity before the year, he’s turned in a dynamite .296 average, with 12 homers and 27 steals. If you crunch the 5×5 numbers to this point, he’s a Top 25 hitter, ahead of George Springer, Jackie Bradley, Miguel Cabrera. One of the waiver-wire finds of the year.

Alas, Nunez is headed on the next thing smoking west, as Reggie Jackson used to say, joining the scuffling Giants. San Francisco acquired Nunez on Thursday, shipping pitching prospect Adalberto Mejia to Minnesota.

Perhaps Nunez won’t skip a beat with his new team, but I wonder about the adjustment particulars. How well does he know the pitchers? Where will he slot in the lineup? What will the Giants do with their lineup when Matt Duffy and Hunter Pence are ready to return?

Anyone who owns Nunez can’t be that upset — you’re playing with house money at this point. I’d suggest a deal, but who are you going to trade him to? Is there really someone in your league who (a) puts a snappy value on Nunez, and (b) doesn’t have any concerns about the new location? Let me know your plans, and results, in the comments.

• Although Homer Bailey pitched a couple of no-hitters and was once a touted prospect, I usually found him an eyelash overrated for fantasy purposes. His career ERA is 4.19, the career WHIP 1.31. His best seasons usually included an ERA around the 3.50 to 3.75 range. That’s worth a little bit in deeper leagues, especially with some decent strikeouts mixed in, but he’s never been close to the ace classification.

Nonetheless, Bailey is back with the Reds — returning from Tommy John surgery — and he’ll start against San Diego on Sunday. I’m going to sit this one out. Bailey wasn’t particularly sharp during a minor-league rehab tour: 28 IP, 37 H, 22 R, 16 ER, 11 BB, 22 K. I’d like some proof at the major-league level, and if I’m late to the story, that’s fine, too.