Marco Gonzales’ stay in Atlanta could be a short one according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.
The Atlanta Braves pulled off a big trade Sunday night landing Jarred Kelenic, Marco Gonzales and Evan White from the Seattle Mariners. While Kelenic was the primary return in the deal, it appears that Gonzales might not want to get to comfortable. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that the Braves aren’t planning on keeping Gonzales and could package him in another deal.
Fallout from last night’s Braves-Mariners trade: The Braves do not plan on keeping left-hander Marco Gonzales, sources tell @TheAthletic. Expected to be part of another deal. Destination unknown.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 4, 2023
Gonzales is slated to make $12.25 million in 2024 and has a club option for 2025. A forearm issue limited him to just 10 games before he underwent season-ending surgery in 2023. He is expected to be ready for the start of Spring Training.
While Gonzales could possibly help fill the fifth starter spot, the Braves have a number of internal options that could also fill that role. The team is still on the hunt for an established starter and may want to redistribute that money elsewhere.
Per Cot’s Contracts, Atlanta’s Competitive Balance Tax payroll is just over $260 million and are slated for about $7.3 million in penalties as things currently stand. The Mariners are sending the Braves $4.5 million on August 1 as part of the original deal.
The Winter Meetings began Sunday in Nashville and will continue through Wednesday.