Wire Taps: Nationals trade Gio Gonzalez to Brewers; Ryan Madson to the Dodgers + more...

A game under .500 again, with two more veterans headed for free agency traded away in return for minor leaguers you probably never heard of until their names were announced.

Another day for the 2018 Nationals. Read all about it before tonight’s game...

NATS BEAT:

As soon-to-be-traded Gonzalez watches, Nats fall to Brewers - (MASN)
”Gio Gonzalez spent the majority of it watching from the dugout, chatting and smiling with teammates like it was any other game...”

Fighting tears, Gonzalez recalls “emotional” final day with Nats - (MASN)
”The 32-year-old lefty had known for hours he was being traded to Milwaukee, a contending club trying to bolster its ragged rotation for the final month of the regular season and beyond.”

Nationals raise another white flag in storm, deal two before a rainy loss to Brewers - (WaPost)
”If they are alive, they are wounded, looted beyond recognition by teams whose October dreams still have a pulse.”

Nats send Madson to Dodgers for minor league pitcher - (MASN)
"Istler, 25, had a 2.37 ERA in 41 appearances across three of the Dodgers’ minor league affiliates, most recently Triple-A Oklahoma City. He’s not ranked among the organization’s top prospects."

Sean Doolittle throws sim game while on DL - (MLB.com)
"Doolittle and Nationals manager Dave Martinez said the reliever would toss another sim game either Sunday or Monday, but that they wouldn't rush the All-Star closer back into action before he was ready."

Tanner Roark allows 3 Brewers homers in loss - (MLB.com)
"During his second-half surge, one encouraging aspect of Tanner Roark's improvement was his ability to keep the ball in the park, allowing just three home runs over his last nine starts."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Contending Brewers Trade for Often Good Pitcher - (FanGraphs)
"[T]he Brewers traded this afternoon for left-handed pitcher Gio Gonzalez to bolster a rotation that is still in search of reinforcements after losing Jimmy Nelson to a shoulder injury before the season started and Brent Suter to Tommy John surgery in July."

Nationals trade Ryan Madson to Dodgers for prospect Andrew Istler - (Minor League Ball)
"Istler is listed at 5-11, 175, age 25. As a starter in college he threw in the upper-80s but his velocity has picked up as a pro, well into the 90s now."

NL EAST UPDATES:

Phillies use Asdrubal Cabrera’s walk-off home run to top Cubs in 10th inning - (Philly.com)
"More than a month has passed since the Phillies traded for Asdrubal Cabrera because they thought he could add offense to their lineup."

Tim Peterson and Eric Hanhold will be Mets' first September call-ups; more after the weekend - (Newsday)
"The Mets’ first round of September call-ups will be a small one: righthanded relievers Tim Peterson and Eric Hanhold."

Three takeaways from Marlins' 6-5 loss to Blue Jays - (Sun Sentinel)
"Despite a gem from Dan Straily, the Marlins’ bullpen imploded in the ninth inning, coughing up a four-run lead to lose 6-5 to the Blue Jays."

Braves will use six-man rotation in September - (AJC.com)
"The Braves’ six-man rotation strategy, one they’ve long been reluctant to declare official but implemented nonetheless, will continue during the final month of the regular season."