Blue Jays Lose Mauro Gomez to Nationals

Mar 15, 2013; Sarasota, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Mauro Gomez (50) against the Baltimore Orioles during a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Power is one of those things that all teams are looking for, even those that are currently out of the race. On Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays sacrificed some of that power by designating infielder Mauro Gomez for assignment. On Thursday, the Washington Nationals added it, by winning the waiver claim on Gomez, announcing the move via Twitter.

The Blue Jays were forced to designated Gomez on Tuesday, needing his spot on the 40-man roster in order to promote several players, including Ricky Romero, Luis Perez, Jeremy Jeffress, and Mike Nickeas. Kyle Drabek was also promoted at the time, but was already on the 40-man roster.

The 28-year-old Gomez spent the entire season at Triple-A Buffalo, where he put up a .249 average with a .843 OPS, 29 home runs, and 73 RBI for the Bisons. Despite the power component, even with expanded rosters in September, there just was not a place for Gomez in the Blue Jays line-up, ultimately making him expendable.

Over the course of 10 Minor League seasons, Gomez is a career .278 hitter with a .821 OPS. On five occasions the right-handed hitter has exceeded the 20 home run mark.

Despite that production in the minors, Gomez has gotten nary a call to play in the Major Leagues, mostly due to his constraints in the field and his high strike-out totals (4 times exceeding 120 K’s).

His only big league experience came with the Boston Red Sox in 2012, when he saw time at first and third base, as well as DH. In 111 plate appearances with Boston, Gomez owns a .275 batting average with 2 HR, 17 RBI, a .746 OPS, and 26/8 K/BB ratio.