Washington Nationals Acquire Yan Gomes (Giuseppe)

The Cleveland Indians traded catcher Yan Gomes to the Washington Nationals on Friday in return for Minor League right-handed pitcher Jefry Rodriguez, minor league outfielder Daniel Johnson and a player to be named later.

“The Nationals have expressed consistent interest in Yan throughout the offseason,” Cleveland Indians Team President Chris Antonetti said. “They’re one of a handful of teams that expressed interest in him. The catching position was an interesting one. There were a number of teams that were seeking to upgrade their alternatives at catcher, and there were also a number of alternatives on the market in both free agency and trades. That was the dynamic we were navigating at the start of the offseason. It got to a point on a deal that we thought made sense for us.”

Yan Gomes was awarded his first career All-Star nod in 2018 after posting a solid .266 batting average with a career-high 26 doubles, 16 homers, and 48 runs batted in through 112 games. Gomes is a stellar defender and will be a solid addition to the Nationals’ club.

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There isn’t an easy way to say goodbye. Thank you for an amazing 6 years! To the fans. Thank you for all the support, the memories, and for making Cleveland feel like our home. It has been an honor to put on the uniform everyday and represent your city. To trainers and drs, thank you guys for the keeping me healthy and on the field. Thank you for all the hard work you guys put in each and every day To my coaches, thank you for helping me mature and grow as not only a player but also a human being. To the front office who gave me my chance and believed in me. You made a kid from Brazil’s dream come true. I will forever be grateful! To my teammates who became like family, it has been an awesome and unforgettable ride. We had so much fun together. I will cherish the memories and friendships always. Cleveland is where we were fortunate enough to start our family! Tribetown you will forever hold a special place in my family’s heart! Thank you!

A post shared by Yan Gomes (@yan_agomes) on Dec 1, 2018 at 8:59am PST

“We’re focused on trying to build a team that’s capable of winning another American League Central Division title in 2019 but is also positioned for success beyond that,” Antonetti said. “We’re in a fortunate position that we have a lot of players on our team that other teams value. And that leads to a lot of conversations this time of year. I wouldn’t want to get into any speculation around that.”

Jefry Rodriguez played in 14 games for the Nationals in 2018 and posted a 3-3 win-loss record with a 5.71 ERA in 52 innings. Daniel Johnson the majority of his 2018 season playing for Double-A Harrisburg.

The Indians will get some solid prospects while the Nationals will receive one of the best catchers in baseball to platoon with the newly acquired Kurt Suzuki.