As I was checking in our rental car this morning (bye Sarasota, hello Baltimore that still thinks it’s February…ugh), I got the news that the O’s had traded Alex Gonzalez to Detroit for Steve Lombardozzi.
Lombardozzi was born in Fulton, Maryland and is a 2007 graduate of Atholton High School. He has been in the majors for three seasons, all with the Washington Nationals, but was traded from the Gnats to Detroit in the big Doug Fister deal earlier this offseason. He has a .264 average in 705 career AB.
Gonzalez had a good spring for the Birds and looked likely to make the Opening Day roster (especially after the Machado news), but the Tigers had a need to fill after shortstop Jose Iglesias was injured.
If Lombardozzi and Steve Clevenger both make the roster, that would give the Birds two Maryland natives…pretty cool, if you ask me. If Steve Johnson makes it, that would be THREE Maryland natives (all, oddly enough, named Steve)!
The switch-hitter has some speed, as he’s 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts this spring. He’s only 9-for-15 in his career though, so perhaps the stolen base is an element he’s looking to add to his game this year.
The Baltimore Sun was first to report the move.
The O’s confirmed it, and announced that they DFA’d catcher Johnny Monell to make room on the 40-man.
