The Washington Nationals fire sale continued on Friday evening with news that the team would be sending veteran lefty starter Gio Gonzalez to the Milwaukee Brewers.
In exchange, the Nats will reportedly pick up a pair of minor league infielders, Gilbert Lara and K.J. Harrison, along with $250,000 in international slot money.
Addressing the Washington media for the last time, Gonzalez could not mask the emotions that bubbled to the surface:
"It was emotional, it definitely was," he said, staring intently down at the microphone as his voice quaked. "I've had my...I grew up here. I've had my family here, my wife and my kids. It's just sad to see it go.
"But I'm really happy. I'm happy."
The move frees up the duration of Gonzalez's 2018 salary, as Mike Rizzo and the Nats' front office prioritize shedding veteran contracts in the final weeks of the season. Gonzalez joins the likes of Ryan Madson (Dodgers), Brandon Kintzler (Cubs), Shawn Kelley (Athletics), Daniel Murphy (Cubs) and Matt Adams (Cardinals) who have been traded after the non-waiver trade deadline.
Each of these teams will contend for the playoffs, while the Nats (67-68) remain one of MLB's greatest disappointments this season.
Gonzalez, who will be a free agent after the season, has a career record of 124-97 with a 3.71 ERA in 308 games (302 starts) with Oakland and Washington. This year, he's 7-11 with a 4.57 ERA in 27 starts, but he has an 86-65 record with a 3.62 over his time in D.C.
While inconsistent at times, Gonzalez leaves many fans and a strong legacy behind for the Nats. He pitched his best baseball as the team's ace in 2011, turning in a 21-8 record with a 2.89 ERA. After that, he never won more than 15 games (2017), but was part of division-winning squads in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017.
From one game under .500, he joins a team that is 16 games over .500 but still battling for the second Wild Card spot in the hyper-competitive NL Central. If he makes the playoffs with the Brew Crew, he will be in search of his first postseason victory.
Here's how members of the media reacted to the news:
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