CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians have started to change over their roster, and they did so by unplugging their battery.
The Indians have traded American League All-Star catcher Yan Gomes to the Washington Nationals Friday evening in exchange for minor league right fielder Daniel Johnson and pitcher Jefry Rodriguez. MLB Network Insider Jon Heyman first reported the news.
In 948.2 innings over 112 games for the Indians in 2018, Gomes had a .991 fielding percentage with 994 putouts, 49 assists and nine errors in 1,052 total chances. Gomes was a part of six double-play combinations and threw out 20 would-be base-stealers.
Gomes had only six passed balls in nearly 950 innings of work behind the plate for the Indians, who had two rookies, Shane Bieber and Adam Plutko, emerge as starters and a late-year injury to Trevor Bauer during the 2018 season.
Additionally, Gomes hit .266 with 52 runs scored, 26 doubles, 16 home runs and 48 RBI in 2018.
Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 39th round of the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft, as well as the Toronto Blue Jays in the 10th round the following year, Gomes hit his stride at the Major League level after being traded to the Indians in November of 2012.
In his six years with the Indians, Gomes hit .250 with 261 runs scored, 295 RBI, 117 doubles, six triples and 83 home runs.
With the trading of Gomes, the Indians have Roberto Perez and Eric Haase as the only catchers on the 40-man roster.
Johnson has played in 288 minor-league games for five teams over the last three years.
After spending the latter half of 2016 in the New York-Penn League (Short Single A Season) and full and advanced Single A ball in 2017, Johnson played most of the 2018 season with the Harrisburg Senators of the Eastern League (Double A).
In 89 games for the Senators this past season, Johnson hit .269 (101 of 376) with 19 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs, 35 RBI and 51 runs scored. Johnson drew 25 walks, struck out 92 times and stole 22 bases in 26 attempts in 2018.
The 25-year-old Rodriguez, meanwhile, made 19 minor league starts in 2018 and also appeared in 14 big league games for the Nats, going 3-3 with a 5.71 ERA. He has a career minor league ERA of 4.17 over seven years.
The Tribe also will receive a player to be named later to complete the deal.
