PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates add an option for the 2024 starting rotation in a trade with the Braves on Tuesday night.
Pirates traded a player to be named later or cash to Atlanta for Marco Gonzales. The 31-year-old lefty made 10 starts with the Mariners last season before being shutdown for a nerve injury in his pitching forearm. Ironically, his last start before his season ended was against the Pirates and he went 5.2 innings allowing only one earned run with three walks and four strikeouts. Overall in 2023, 4-1 with a 5.22 ERA in 10 starts with 34 strikeouts and 18 walks in 50 innings.
Gonzales was acquired by the Braves on Sunday in the Jackson Kowar trade. In nine seasons in the majors, Gonzales is 65-49 with a 4.14 ERA with 665 strikeouts and 238 walks in 893 innings. Some highlights of the Fort Collins, Colorado native’s career.
· Lost a MLB leading 15 games with Seattle in 2022 (32 starts, 4.13 ERA)
· Made a MLB leading 34 starts with Seattle in 2019 going 16-13 with a 3.99 ERA
· 8th in the American League in ERA (3.10) in 2020
· In 2021, went 10-6 with a 3.96 ERA in 25 starts (143.1 innings) with the Mariners
· In his last three seasons, Gonzales has allowed 64 home runs in 69 starts
· Gonzales was the Seattle nominee in 2022 for the Roberto Clemente Award
· Cardinals 2013 first-round pick out of Gonzaga and made his MLB debut in 2014 going 4-2 with a 4.15 ERA
· Gonzales is in the final year of a four-year, $30 million contract with a $15 million club option for 2025.