Nationals acquire RHP Erik Davis from Padres in exchange for INF Alberto Gonzalez

By Pete Kerzel

Nationals

March 28, 2011, 2:46pm

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The Washington Nationals today acquired right-handed pitcher Erik Davis and cash considerations from the San Diego Padres in exchange for infielder Alberto Gonzalez. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Davis is 32-9 with a 3.49 ERA in 73 games/51 starts spanning three seasons in the Padres system, posting an impressive .780 winning percentage with 8.5 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (278 K/293.2 IP). The 24-year-old has posted 30 wins over the last two seasons, which is tops among all minor-league pitchers. Davis went 14-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 27 starts last season with Triple-A Portland, Double-A San Antonio and Single-A Lake Elsinore. He finished tied for the Single-A Midwest League lead with 16 wins for Fort Wayne in 2009. Davis played collegiately at Stanford University, where he was teammates with Nationals right-hander Drew Storen in 2008, and was selected by San Diego in the 13th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Gonzalez, 27, batted .247 with five RBI in 114 contests with Washington last season.