The unloading of veterans continued for the Braves, who traded outfielder Jonny Gomes to the Kansas City Royals on Monday night for minor-league shortstop Luis Valenzuela.
Valenzuela, who turned 22 last week, has hit .364 with three triples, four homers and nine stolen bases in 55 games this season, including eight rookie-league games and 47 games at Single-A Lexington.
Braves players say Gomes, who hit .221 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in 195 at-bats as a left fielder and pinch-hitter, had a far greater impact than his stats indicate.
“Tough news,” Braves pitcher Shelby Miller said of the trade. “Such a great guy in the clubhouse, one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around and best teammates I’ve been around. Always in a positive mood, and doing anything he can to make the vibe better. Obviously going to miss him a lot, and wish him nothing but the best with the Royals. He’s going to a great team.”
Braves second baseman Jace Peterson, whom Gomes has mentored since spring training, called the 34-year-old the best teammate he ever had.
“I’ve talked about it since the day I showed up in Atlanta, I was fully invested in this team, in the peaks and in the valleys,” said Gomes, who signed a one-year, $4 million free-agent contract last winter that included a $3 million option for 2016. “I’ll go play a game for Kansas City just like I played today. It’s not like I’m leaving here and am going to go turn it on.
“I left everything I possibly had in between those lines when my number was called. With that being said, it’s a business. On to K.C.”
Valenzuela, a Dominican, has a .291 career average, .330 OBP, 10 triples, six homers and 16 stolen bases in 514 plate appearances (126 games) in parts of four minor league seasons, including rookie-ball stints in the previous three years before his first promotion to Single-A this year.
The Braves will also send some cash to the Royals to help cover less than $1 million remaining on Gomes’ salary.
Gomes was 0-for-2 before being removed from the Braves’ game against the Marlins after the fifth inning when the trade was finalized. Teams had to have players on their rosters by midnight in order to make them eligible for the postseason.
Before Monday, Gomes had been 18-for-63 (.286) with four homers, a .400 OBP and .508 slugging percentage in 31 games going back to July 3.
Against left-handers, his primary role, he hit .247 (18-for-73) with five homers, 14 RBIs and a .412 OBP and .466 slugging percentage before Monday.
“I’m glad he’s going to a team that’s in a pennant race, because he’s going to help that club,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He came as advertised, a guy that was good in the clubhouse, a good teammate. We’re going to miss him. We’re going to miss that leadership. But hopefully he was here long enough that he rubbed some of that off on the other guys, and they learned from the way Jonny Gomes carried himself day-in and day-out.”
