A couple of somewhat noteworthy transactions occurred in the Major League Baseball landscape on Sunday (June 10). After the New York Mets ended their eight-game losing streak by defeating the New York Yankees 2-0 on "Sunday Night Baseball," the team announced that they have released veteran first basemen, Adrian Gonzalez.

The Tampa Bay Rays traded yet another veteran player, as infielder Brad Miller was sent to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for first basemen Ji-Man Choi. This deal was confirmed in a report by ESPN.

The continued decline of Gonzalez

The 36-year-old Gonzalez has gone through a very productive career. He’s been named to five All-Star Games, won four Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers, and clubbed 317 homers. He led the National League in walks in 2009 and RBIs in 2014. He led the American League in hits in 2011.

The 2017 season was an injury-prone one for the first baseman, as he appeared in just 71 games. Gonzalez hit just .242 with only three home runs in 252 plate appearances. He was traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Atlanta Braves after the year, where he was immediately designated him for assignment.

The Mets had their fair amount of struggles at first base in 2017 and decided to see what he had left by signing him to a one-year deal.

There were times Gonzalez looked like the All-Star caliber player he was in the past, including in a game that he hit two homers on May 7 against the Cincinnati Reds. Since that two-homer outing, though, Gonzalez has only hit one more in 90 plate appearances. He was mired in a 0-for-16 slump until he hit a double in the bottom of the seventh inning of Sunday’s game.

Miller traded by Rays to Brewers

Last Thursday (June 7), the Rays decided to designate Brad Miller for assignment. They found a trade partner for him on Sunday, sending him to the Brewers. It wasn’t too long ago when the 28-year-old Miller had a career-year in 2016 for Tampa Bay, finishing with 30 home runs and 29 doubles. It was a much different story in 2017, though, as he ended the year with just a .201 batting average and nine homers in 407 plate appearances.

Prior to being designated for assignment, Miller was hitting .256 with five homers in 174 plate appearances. He made 34 starts at first base and two at second. The Brewers have gotten little out of the shortstop position so it is likely Miller can get reps there as he started 95 games there in 2016.

Tampa Ray received first baseman and left fielder Ji-Man Choi from Milwaukee in the deal. The 27-year-old Choi is 7-for-32 on the season with two home runs. He hit a grand slam that gave the Brewers the lead for good on Saturday (June 9) against the Philadelphia Phillies.
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