Jonny Gomes Rumors: Latest Buzz and Speculation Surrounding Free-Agent OF

After splitting time between the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics in 2014, free agent Jonny Gomes is reportedly headed to the Atlanta Braves.

Continue for updates. 

---

Braves and Gomes Agree to Deal

Thursday, Jan. 22

Yahoo! Sports' Tim Brown reported the Braves an Gomes have agreed to a deal:

---

Braves Interested in Gomes 

Tuesday, Jan. 20 

MLB.com's Mark Bowman provided the news:

Gomes hit a combined .234/.327/.330 with six home runs and 37 RBI in 112 games between the Red Sox and A's last season.

It was a decidedly underwhelming campaign, but he still has some power, and he hits left-handed pitching very well. For his career, he has a .277/.376/.485 slash line against lefties, compared to just .222/.307/.415 vs. right-handers, per Baseball-Reference.com.

As Bowman noted, that makes him a logical platoon partner with the switch-hitting Zoilo Almonte, whose two career home runs have both come against right-handed hitters.

Moreover, Gomes is a known positive presence in the clubhouse. In 2013, Will Middlebrooks talked about the 34-year-old's effect on the team, via MLB.com's Ian Browne:

"

He's fun guy who brings a lot of intensity, a lot of confidence, and he's just a sparkplug that kind of rubs off on everybody. He's not a guy that's always going to speak up and be a vocal leader, but he's going to show you through his actions. He's a very confident guy. He plays 110 percent—every play. That rubs off on all of us. We all want to play like that.

"

Ultimately, Gomes' eventual signing won't have a huge effect on the league. But he's a veteran presence who can be beneficial for a young team, which the Braves have, and he's a solid situational player who can serve as a decent fourth or fifth outfielder, which the Braves need, with Nick Markakis recovering from offseason neck surgery. 

Perhaps most importantly, he'll come with a low price tag.