Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington didn't reference the Madson deal specifically when talking with reporters on Wednesday, but he did say the market is very much unsettled in Papelbon and his agent determining a fair price.
"With Pap, it's a little bit more difficult [than it is with David Ortiz], because more options in terms of the National League, more unknown about what's out there," Cherington said, according to ESPN.com. "So less dialogue with him, but keep the door open certainly and we'll talk again I'm sure next week."
If Papelbon receives a huge offer from another team, Cherington said the Red Sox may not be given a chance to match it.
"Those things can happen fast sometimes," Cherington said of free-agent signings. "He doesn't owe us a call. I don't think we expect that. We expect we'll keep the door open and keep talking. But if he gets something that he really wants and there's a deadline on it he can take it."
Papelbon, 30, has 219 saves, all with the Red Sox, just 29 blown saves and a 1.018 WHIP in 396 appearances with the Red Sox since 2005.
