The Nationals are the latest team to hop aboard the Gio Gonzalez trade rumor train, according to a report from Fox Sports. Washington has been aggressively pursuing the A's left-hander as they look to improve upon their young staff, anchored by right-handers Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann.
Gonzalez, 26, won 16 games in 32 starts for the A's last season, posting a 3.12 ERA and 197 strikeouts.
Gonzalez is one of the top pitchers still on the market, and the Red Sox, Rangers and Marlins are among the other teams interested in pursuing Gonzalez. Although the Rangers are currently after Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish, while the Marlins just inked Mark Buehrle to a four-year, 58-million contract. Roy Oswalt is the only Type-A free agent starting pitcher still unsigned, and Edwin Jackson and Hiroki Kuroda -- both righties -- are the only two Type-B free agents remaining. After missing out on lefty Buehrle, who passed on Washington to sign with Miami -- the Nationals' interest in Gonzalez intensified.
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In order to land Gonzalez, though, Washington would have to be willing to part with at least one of their young starting pitchers. Fox Sports indicated righty Brad Peacock or lefty Ross Detwiler as potential targets.
Jemile Weeks is the only player the A's said they wouldn't entertain trade offers for this offseason, and they have stayed true to their word; they traded young ace Trevor Cahill -- for three prospects -- to the Diamondbacks earlier this month and there have been multiple teams linked to young closer Andrew Bailey.
The A's are bent on relocating to the South Bay, and seem to be stockpiling young prospects like never before, despite not yet receiving a decision from MLB on whether or not they will be able to move to land the San Francisco Giants have territorial rights over.