ATLANTA -- Now that he's officially on the move from Atlanta, Jonny Gomes is excited to be joining the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals.
The Braves traded Gomes during the Braves' 4-0 loss to Miami on Monday night. He left the game in the fifth inning, hugged his teammates in the dugout and began packing up his belongings in the clubhouse.
Laughing that his career "has been kind of nomadic," Gomes will be making his seventh move to a new team in the last five years.
"I've been on some good teams -- won the World Series, lost the World Series, lost in a playoff game to (Kansas City) last year in the one-game wild-card," he said. "Once (the regular season) is over, it's a clean slate. Batting averages are gone. Wins and losses are gone. Nothing to be taken for granted. I'll just go over there, be Jonny Gomes, try not to clog it up and help them win."
Atlanta sent Gomes and an undisclosed amount of cash to Kansas City for shortstop Luis Valenzuela. The Braves assigned Gonzalez to Single-A Rome.
The 34-year-old Gomes has been in the postseason four times since 2010 and helped Boston win the World Series two years ago. The Red Sox traded Gomes and ace Jon Lester to Oakland last year for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and a draft pick.
"I think that just comes with the status for playing a long time on a one-year deal," he said. "Therefore you kind of become tradeable if things don't work out with the team that you're on."
Gomes hit .221 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in 195 at-bats with Atlanta. He was playing left field for the Braves, and has been a designated hitter during his career. He also pitched Friday in a blowout loss to the New York Yankees.
Kansas City, last year's AL champion, began the day 13 games up in the AL Central. The Braves started the day 18 games out of first place in the NL East.
