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With the Washington Nationals looking to make upgrades to their starting rotation, veteran Gio Gonzalez could potentially be available on the trade market.

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Latest on Gonzalez’s Trade Availability

Tuesday, Dec. 6

According to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark, the Nats told teams Gonzalez would be on the block if they completed a trade with the Chicago White Sox for Chris Sale. However, Sale was dealt to the Boston Red Sox Tuesday, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

Jim Bowden of ESPN reported Monday that Washington and Chicago were closing in on a deal that would send Sale to the Nationals for top prospects Lucas Giolito and Victor Robles.

Gonzalez is coming off a down year, as he went 11-11 with a 4.57 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 171 strikeouts in 177.1 innings pitched. That marked his highest ERA since the 2009 campaign with the Oakland Athletics (5.75).

The 31-year-old lefty previously enjoyed a six-year streak with an ERA of 3.79 or better, and he earned two All-Star nods during that time.

Since winning 21 games and finishing third in the National League Cy Young Award voting in 2012, however, he has settled in as a middle-of-the-rotation arm, averaging 11 wins per season.

While Gonzalez is reliable in terms of taking the mound with 31 or more starts in six of the past seven seasons, 2016 was a roller-coaster ride from a performance perspective, according to Sung Min Kim of Vice Sports:

The peripheral numbers suggest Gonzalez was somewhat unlucky last season, though, as he posted a FIP nearly a full run lower than his ERA at 3.76, per Baseball-Reference.com. Gonzalez has had a lower FIP than ERA in three straight campaigns.

Washington will no longer have a need for Gonzalez if it can land another starter even after losing out on Sale, especially with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Tanner Roark and Joe Ross in the fold.

The veteran could have value to another team in need of rotation depth, though, and he is affordable for a starting pitcher with a salary of $12 million, per Spotrac.

Provided Gonzalez’s ERA and FIP come closer together in 2017, he has a chance to provide great value for another team.

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The Washington Nationals are reportedly shopping veteran starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez as they look to bolster their lineup.  

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Nats Seek Outfield Upgrade in Gonzalez Talks

Friday, Jan. 8

Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reported the Nationals are looking into a plan that would see them trade Gonzalez for a center fielder and then sign free-agent starter Wei-Yin Chen to fill the void in the rotation. He noted they originally tried to acquire Ender Inciarte before he got dealt to the Atlanta Braves.

Gonzalez could be an attractive target for teams seeking to upgrade their starting staff due to his terrific strikeout totals. He finished last season with 169 punchouts in 175.2 innings and has 1,241 in 1,264.2 frames across eight seasons.

Those totals haven’t translated into dominance, though. He sports a 3.62 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP for his career, which comes in part from erratic control. He averages 3.90 walks per nine innings for his career, a number that results in a lot of short outings, as he gets himself into jams.

One other potential hurdle is his contract. He’s set to earn $12 million for the 2016 season and then has a team option in 2017 and a vesting option in 2018 for the same amount, according to Spotrac.

That said, he showcased his upside during his first year with the Nationals in 2012 when he posted a 2.89 ERA with 207 strikeouts in 199.1 innings. That performance would be a welcome addition to any staff.

It’s unclear what type of return the Nationals could demand given the wide-ranging pros and cons. There’s certainly room for improvement in center, however, with Michael Taylor currently slated to start between Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth.

They may have to move quickly if the entire plan hinges on landing Chen, though. Spring training is just over a month away and the left-hander will want to find a new home soon.

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The Washington Nationals have lost Gio Gonzalez for the next few weeks. The Cy Young contender has what the Nationals are calling soreness and inflammation in his pitching shoulder and will give him time to let that calm down, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.

Gonzalez was diagnosed after having an “enhanced MRI.” This is another term for a contrast MRI, which is a normal tool for orthopaedists. A dye is injected into the joint, allowing for a clearer view of the structures, as the video here shows. The Nats said there was no structural damage seen on the enhanced MRI.

So we know what it’s not, but pain and inflammation don’t just happen. Gonzalez has something wrong inside his pitching shoulder, and absent a structural cause, the usual diagnosis is either impingement or bursitis. Bursitis could be easily seen on a contrast MRI, so it’s safe to assume that the Nats aren’t playing word games with us. 

Add in another piece of evidence, in that Gonzalez told the Washington Post that he was having trouble finding a consistent arm slot, the lean would be to impingement. That indicates a generalized inflammation that is causing some of the structures inside the shoulder to be restricted from their normal movement or even squeezed inside the shoulder.

With Gonzalez on the disabled list, the Nats will go to work trying to remove the inflammation. Rest and treatment should get him more comfortable and at the point where he can get back on the mound; the hope is that his arm will comfortably go back to its natural position. Oddly, comparing his last two starts, it appears that Gonzalez was actually raising his release point, which is opposite of what a pitcher normally does when his shoulder is sore.

The Nats historically have issues keeping their pitchers healthy. While the team was actually in the top 10 for the first time since moving to Washington in terms of injury stats last year, their back in their normal spot early this year. The team has lost about $19.3 million worth of value so far this season. In terms of pure days lost, they’re near the bottom again. (Data from my proprietary Injury Database.)

Losing Gonzalez for a short period of time shouldn’t devastate the Nationals, but their overall problems with health are one reason that they consistently underperform their expectations and talent. 

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The Washington Nationals are surging and will enter September in contention for a playoff spot. Entering the final day of August, the Nationals are 16-10 in the month, which has given them a reason to play meaningful baseball in September.

The pieces of the puzzle have been coming together for Washington. Perhaps they were not able to handle the early season hype that surrounded the team, but, as for now, they have a chance for redemption.

Going forward however, it is imperative that they have some of their most important pieces go far and beyond what they are capable of. If they do this, and get a little bit of luck, the Nats might once again be playing in October.

Let’s take a look at the keys to the Nationals’ success going forward.

Begin Slideshow

The Washington Nationals are watching the season fall apart right before their eyes.

In the latest incident for a team that hasn’t lived up to expectations, Jayson Werth and Gio Gonzalez had to be separated after Gonzalez failed to cover first for an inning-ending double play.

It’s just one in a long list of things that have gone wrong for the Nationals this year.

The frustrations likely stem from the fact that the Nationals sit at 57-60 and 14 games out in the NL East.

Then, there’s this:

It appears Gonzalez could have been unhappy about Werth lackadaisically getting to the ball on a first-inning double, while Werth was unhappy about Gonzalez not covering first.

Regardless, both players made mistakes in the first inning but wanted to focus on their teammate’s mistake. 

Twitter also had a reaction:

Everything has come to a head.

Will players start jumping down each other’s throats when a mistake is made? Where’s the leadership?

Players like Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche need to take this team by the horns and restore order to the clubhouse. The only real sign of leadership coming this year has been courtesy of Bryce Harper, who told Dan Kolko of MASNSports.com that the team needed to show some heart.

But Harper, who is only 20, shouldn’t be responsible for assuming the role of a veteran. That type of influence needs to come from guys who have the experience to back it up.

That lack of leadership is why the Nationals have struggled in 2013 and why incidents like this are happening.

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If you do happen by Marlins Park this weekend, be careful as to not get the desperation all over you. 

Yahoo! Sports’ Mike Oz reports on the latest Marlins ticket-selling gimmick and it’s a doozy. It seems the powers that be are letting any fan procure tickets at the same prices of pitcher Gio Gonzalez‘s family and friends. 

You can take a gander at the deal at their official website or enjoy the screen capture the team features below. 

When you have the worst record in the National League, you find yourself hurting for new and inventive ways to get butts into the seats. 

The Marlins have ignored the fact Gonzalez doesn’t even pitch for the Marlins for this brilliant ploy. I would say this is truly the nadir of the season for Miami, but we are confident they have something else up their sleeves for the true dog days. 

I guess that’s only slightly less ridiculous than throwing a Juan Pierre night. Still, you have to think Placido Polanco warranted at least his own dedicated inning with his stellar .245 batting average. 

As Oz reminds, the Marlins’ losses and lack of star appeal have been met with horrendous ticket sales: “the team has the worst average attendance (17,162) in baseball and the lowest total attendance (738,000).”

As the report states, Gonzalez is from the Miami area, so the discounted tickets aren’t completely without merit—although they are officially absurd. 

The team is now 32-56, 18.5 games back of the division-leading Atlanta Braves. With a run differential of -94, it’s hard for fans to buy tickets expecting the home team to deliver on the promise of entertainment. 

Still, it has to sting knowing the team passed on all the other hard-working Marlins for a Nationals pitcher who is having a mediocre season compared to the gem he delivered last year. 

While just one silly promotion from a bottom-feeding team, it’s only a stone’s throw away from the team selling opposing star’s jerseys in the pro shop. 

Marlins Park: home to some of the most amazing visiting talent in the majors. 

Hit me up on the Twitter machine: Follow @gabezal

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If you ever get a job covering the Washington Nationals as a sideline reporter, bring a poncho.

The Nats Enquirer happened upon the initial throes of Julie Alexandria covering the team from the field.

After a gem of a game by Gio Gonzalez, the reporter catches up with the southpaw right outside the dugout. As you will soon see, this is right in the hot zone for getting doused with a cooler full of Gatorade.

Alexandria takes the impromptu shower of what seems to be orange Gatorade in great stride. She is all smiles and offers that someone warned her this would happen.

As the report reminds, the Nationals are known for such antics with their reporters. Last year, Kristina Akra found out that it’s a horrible idea to stand too close to John Lannan, at least when he gets his first win of the season.

As for Gonzalez, he had struggled a bit in his last two starts before blowing away the Cincinnati Reds Thursday night.

In eight innings, Gonzalez had seven strikeouts and allowed just one earned run in an eventual 8-1 win. So you could say emotions ran fairly high.

Couple that with the very first postgame interview for the Nationals’ newest reporter, and you had the recipe for a perfect Gatorade storm.

Now, if any of you have aspirations of covering the team, I would make sure you are completely fine with having sport drinks thrown on you, because it’s an actual part of the job description.

Hit me up on Twitter for more of that funny feeling: Follow @gabezal

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The Washington Nationals and Gio Gonzalez could not have received any better news the day before Grapefruit League play began, as Gio Gonzalez addressed the media with fantastic results.

Amanda Comak of The Washington Times tweeted on Friday afternoon:

Bill Ladson of MLB.com reported the statement Gonzalez made on Friday:

Like I said before, I’ve never taken performance enhancing drugs and I never will. Two days after the story broke, I was tested for blood and urine. Both came out negative like I expected. Throughout my entire career, it has been like that. I look forward to handling this with MLB and putting this behind me, and I’m looking forward to the season.

Gonzalez did not take any questions after addressing the media on Friday afternoon.

Gonzalez’s tests were conducted two days after the reports about his involvement initially surfaced. Gonzalez claimed innocence from day one of the initial reports and stated that he had not been involved with the Miami-based clinic. 

Gonzalez finished his first season in Washington with a 21-8 record while compiling a 2.89 ERA with 207 strikeouts. He figures to be an intricate part of the pitching arsenal in D.C., which will be spearheaded by Stephen Strasburg.

With this incident failing to derail the Nats and the first spring training game being played Saturday, it is all about baseball—hopefully until the end of October.

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Washington Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez arrived at spring training defiant, saying he never received performance-enhancing drugs from Tony Bosch’s drug clinic, Biogenesis.

Based on the latest reports coming from ESPN’s Mike Fish and T.J. Quinn, it seems the left-hander is telling the truth. According to two independent sources close to the operation, Gonzalez is identified as an outlier, having never received any performance-enhancing drugs:

According to two sources familiar with Bosch’s operation, however, the Washington Nationals’ Gio Gonzalez, previously identified as being named in Biogenesis documents, did not receive banned substances from Bosch or the clinic.

Fish and Quinn later report that independent verification of documents points toward Gonzalez being clean as well. According to documents that detail Bosch’s operation, the Nationals star did receive $1,000 worth of substances from Biogenesis, but none are banned by Major League Baseball.

Gonzalez’s name was first brought into the performance-enhancing-drugs conversation when the Miami New Times broke a report detailing Biogenesis in January. He, along with other prominent major leaguers like Alex Rodriguez and Melky Cabrera, was named among Bosch’s most noteworthy clients.

Gonzalez was said to have received performance-enhancers from Bosch, which would be especially notable considering his recent ascent.

Last season was Gonzalez’s first in Washington, and he enjoyed by far the most success of his professional career. The 27-year-old finished 2012 with a 21-8 record, 2.89 ERA and 1.13 WHIP while putting up a career-high 4.5 wins above replacement. Gonzalez finished third in the National League Cy Young race and was critical to bringing the Nationals their first division championship since moving to the nation’s capital.

Expectations are even higher heading into 2013, so Gonzalez is expected to once again anchor the Nationals’ staff. With his name cleared (for now) by Tuesday’s report, one has to guess Gonzalez will have a much easier time doing so come Opening Day.

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Spring training is rapidly approaching and Opening Day is on the horizon. Teams will begin flocking to their respective training camps with a clear mind and with hopes of winning their respective divisions and make a deep push into October.

But when word spreads regarding the findings from an anti-aging clinic in Miami on Tuesday, some division favorites could be in trouble before the season officially begins.

NL East

The Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves could go first and second in the National League East Division this season.

The Nationals are the reigning division champions after finishing last season with a mark of 98-64, the best record in all of baseball. Not to mention, the Nationals boasted the best road record among any major league club.

Washington led the NL with a 3.33 ERA, which was second best in all of baseball last season.

That could change if Commissioner Bug Selig decides to dish out penalties to those players revealed on the report from the anti-aging clinic in Miami.

Among those named in the report is Nationals starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez. According to the story on ESPN.com, Gonzalez—who recorded 21 wins in 2012—appears five times on the report.

If Gonzalez is indeed penalized for his actions, then the Nationals will be in major trouble without their most reliable pitcher.

NL Central

It appears the National League Central Division will be a two-team race between St. Louis and Cincinnati.

No surprise there.

The Cardinals have reached postseason play four times in the last seven seasons, including two World Series championships and a pair of division titles. The Reds have won the division two of the last three seasons.

Cincinnati traded for center fielder Shin-Soo Choo from Cleveland and re-signed free-agent slugger Ryan Ludwick. The Reds also locked up free-agent hurler Jonathan Broxton, who may serve as the team’s closer depending on whether or not fireballer Aroldis Chapman is inserted into the starting rotation.

The Cardinals were relatively quiet this winter. Their lone offseason addition was left-handed reliever Randy Choate, who signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract in December.

If the Reds rotation holds up, they will be tough to beat in the Central.

NL West

The Giants will surely make a run to defend their World Series championship in 2013.

They re-signed right fielder Hunter Pence, who should provide some pop in the batting order to accompany Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey.

But the team to beat in 2013 will be the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers signed free agent starter Zack Greinke, who has won 31 games in the last two seasons.

It’s not likely that sluggers Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford will drastically decline at the plate, either.

AL East

The Yankees were thought to be the early favorites to win their third consecutive American League East Division crown.

But the aftermath regarding the findings from the anti-aging clinic in Miami could drastically alter this prediction.

Alex Rodriguez was expected to miss a portion or perhaps the entire regular season after undergoing hip surgery.

But now, the three-time AL Most Valuable Player could be facing another penalty. According to the report on ESPN.com, Rodriguez’s name appears on the report 16 times.

Rodriguez hit 18 home runs and notched 57 RBI while batting .272 for the Yankees last season.

If Rodriguez is dealt a major penalty for his actions, then the Yankees will be in early trouble.

AL Central

The Detroit Tigers look like the front-runners for the American League Central Division crown.

After getting swept 4-0 in the World Series last October, the Tigers are looking for to embark on a deeper journey into the postseason this time around.

Detroit went out and signed free agent center fielder Torii Hunter with hopes of adding some protection and production to a lineup that boasted the league’s 11th-best offense last season.

Justin Verlander will look to build off of a noteworthy season that saw him win 17 games while fanning 239 batters.

AL West

It would be silly for the Los Angeles Angels not to win the American League West, especially with the loaded lineup they now possess.

The addition of free agent outfielder Josh Hamilton will further boast a batting order that features slugger Albert Pujols and 2012 AL Rookie of the Year Mike Trout.

The Angels will have an explosive offense. That’s almost certain. But a slow start combined with an injury or two could allow the Texas Rangers to jump into the mix and possibly hold on the for good. 

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