Nowadays, Gio Gonzalez will get misplaced within the shuffle of Nationals historical past. He was not on the 2019 World Sequence workforce, and might be a bit irritating to look at resulting from his successfully wild nature. Due to that, some individuals overlook simply how good Gio was in DC.
Coming off a 2011 season the place a younger Nationals workforce went 80-81, Mike Rizzo was seeking to take the workforce to the subsequent degree. He determined one of the best ways to try this was to seize a frontline starter, to type a formidable trio with Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann. 2011 All-Star Gio Gonzalez was Mike Rizzo’s man.
Rizzo despatched out a significant prospect haul of Brad Peacock, Derek Norris, Tommy Milone and AJ Cole. All of these guys had been extremely touted, and the primary three ended up having lengthy large league careers with profitable moments. Nevertheless, the Nats gained the commerce as a result of they received the very best participant within the deal who was nonetheless solely 26 years outdated. It goes to indicate that generally prospect hugging generally is a unproductive method.
In a considerably uncharacteristic transfer, the Nationals rapidly signed Gonzalez to an extension. Lower than a month after the commerce, the Nats locked up Gio to a 5 12 months $42 million deal. The Nationals confirmed ambition and bravado by making an enormous transfer to reinforce their current younger core. It’s one thing Mike Rizzo ought to look again on now to reference.
Gio had the specified impact in 2012. The workforce went from 80 wins to 98 wins, and Gonzalez was an enormous a part of that. He was the Nats first ever 20 sport winner, and completed third in Cy Younger voting. 2012 is the second best season in Nats historical past to me due to all of the youth and pleasure. Nationals followers had by no means seen something prefer it earlier than. It introduced playoff baseball again to the nations capital.
Whereas 2012 was a profession 12 months for Gio, he remained efficient for many of his time in DC. From 2012-2018, Gonzalez went 86-65 with a 3.62 ERA over 213 begins that spanned 1,253.1 innings. He took the ball each fifth day and delivered above common manufacturing.
2017 was one other very enjoyable season for Gio. After a down 2016, the place he posted a 4.57 ERA, it appeared like Gio was previous his prime. His stuff wasn’t nearly as good and the outcomes weren’t there anymore. Nevertheless, in 2017 he turned again the clock, posting a 2.96 ERA throughout 201 innings. He led the Nats to a fourth division title in six years.
By 2018, Gio’s stuff wasn’t the identical and age was beginning to catch as much as him. With the Nats within the midst of a disappointing season, he was traded to Milwaukee for a package deal that by no means amounted to something for the Nats. It’s a disgrace he missed the 2019 World Sequence as a result of he was a staple for thus lengthy.
Gio Gonzalez is among the most underrated Nats of his period and deserves to get some shine. The transfer to commerce for him is considered one of Mike Rizzo’s greatest and is one thing the Nats ought to look to duplicate within the close to future.
