And given the apparent need to dump him (Buchholz) now, why they picked up the option in the first place.
I know, 20/20 hindsight is just that, but if Sale was in their sights, and he clearly was, then this domino was always going to file if they succeeded.
Sale may have been in their sights, but he wasn't in their rotation - at least not yet. Are you saying they should have assumed that they would complete a trade that didn't happen mid-season, and that the Nationals were the front-runners on right up to the last minute?
I would be pissed if they did, personally. If they had lost out on Sale, Buchholz would have been a serviceable option for the rotation. He was available for a slight overpay for a team that doesn't really miss the money and he can now potentially be traded for a mid-level prospect or two to help restock the minors.
His option was an insurance policy that they now don't seem to need to cash; it's that simple. When that happens, you count yourself lucky. You don't bitch about all the premium you paid when you never had a claim.