Nationals acquire Jonny Gomes from Cincinnati for minor leaguers

By Pete Kerzel

Nationals

July 26, 2011, 3:16pm

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The Washington Nationals today acquired outfielder Jonny Gomes and cash considerations from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for outfielder Bill Rhinehart and left-handed pitcher Chris Manno. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Gomes is a career .244 hitter (554-for-2274) with 109 doubles, 115 home runs and 352 RBI in 738 career games spanning portions of nine big league seasons spent with Cincinnati (2009-11) and Tampa Bay (2003-08). Thanks to 254 walks, Gomes sports a .330 career on-base percentage. Gomes has averaged more than 17 home runs per campaign since 2005, despite only receiving more than 400 at-bats once. Three times since 2005, Gomes hit 20 or more home runs in a single season. A potent right-handed bat, Gomes has taxed opposing left-handed pitchers during his career, hitting .281 with 41 doubles, 39 RBI, 96 walks and an .886 OPS. At the time of the trade, the 26 year-old Rhinehart was batting .283 with 59 RBI in 89 games with Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League. Manno, 22, earned 12 saves in 34 appearances this year with Hagerstown of the Single-A South Atlantic League.