LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Minutes after announcing they had signed free agent Greg Maddux, the Atlanta Braves traded veteran Charlie Leibrandt and pitcher Pat Gomez to the Texas Rangers for third baseman Jose Oliva.
Leibrandt, 36, was 15-7 with a 3.36 ERA this season, his 13th in the majors.
The left-hander has a career major league record of 131-109 with a 3.65 ERA in 368 games with Cincinnati, Kansas City and Atlanta. He has won 15 games in each of the last two seasons.
Gomez, 24, also a left-hander, was a combined 10-5, pitching for Double-A Greenville, Triple-A Richmond and Atlanta. He was 7-0 at Greenville with a 1.15 ERA in eight starts. He spent 14 days with Atlanta at the end of this season, but did not make an appearance. Gomez originally was signed by the Cubs in November 1985, and acquired by the Braves in August 1989.
Oliva, 21, batted .270 at Tulsa, the Rangers' Double-A minor league affiliate, with 16 homers and 75 RBI in 124 games. He was selected to the Texas League post-season all-star team, ranking second in the league in extra base hits (50), third in total bases (208) and fifth in RBI. Oliva originally was signed by Texas in November 1987.
Earlier Wednesday night, the Braves added a formidable fifth starter in Maddux, the 1992 National League Cy Young winner. He will join a rotation of Steve Avery, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz.
