Gio Gonzalez is a professional baseball player who made his name playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals as a pitcher. Having made his league debut in 2008, he played for Oakland Athletics before qualifying for Nationals. Here is everything to know about him.
Biography of Gio Gonzalez
He was born Giovany Aramis González on September 19, 1985 in Hialeah, Florida, he was raised alongside his two other brothers by their parents, Cuban-born Yolanda Cid-Gonzalez and Max Gonzalez. His parents were very poor and had to make a lot of sacrifices to bring them to fruition. They notably held menial jobs that Gio talked about, reminiscing about how he came out of nothing.
For his education, he graduated from Monsignor Edward Pace High School where he transferred after starting at Hialeah High School. He put on a great show playing during his school days and as such, he skipped college to play professional baseball and was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 2004 MLB Draft.
Career and Statistics
Shortly after his selection by the White Sox, GioGonzalez was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Jim Thome alongside two others. It won’t last as next year the White Sox would get him back via trade.
He played in the minor league until he was called up to the majors in 2008 to play for the Oakland Athletics who got him from the White Sox in a trade. Gio remained with the team until 2012 when he was traded to the Washington Nationals in 2012.
Gonzalez has had a stellar career so far, with two all-star team appearances in 2011 and 2012, the same year he also won the NL title.
Looking at his stats, he has played in 294 games, up from 288 games. Additionally, Gio also recorded 1717.2 field trips, 1527 hits, 742 carries, 686 earned innings, 144 home runs, and 46 hits. He has 711 bases on walks, 20 international bases on walks and 1,675 strikeouts while his average is .237.
Contract and salary
Gio hasn’t been involved in many transfers in his career, but he has always signed his own share of MLB contracts. His contract with the Nationals is $42 million over five years and ends in 2018. For the final year, 2018, his salary will be $12 million.
Further back, he received the same amount in 2016and 2017. In 2015 he earned a salary of 11 million euros, and in 2014 he received 8.5 million dollars. In 2013, Gio’s salary was $6.25 million and $3.25 million in 2012.
Although his salary is enticing, he has also been engaged in other businesses and owns some pretty amazing properties in real estate. But as of now, his net worth has not been reduced to any particular amount.
women
Gio is married and his wife’s name is Bérénice Lea Moures. Little is known about their romance, but it is believed that they started dating in 2013 before deciding to take things further by getting engaged in 2014.
Since there’s no wedding date yet, Gonzalez and Berenice are considered gender neutral, with some claiming they may have had a secret wedding. The union has two children. The first who was born in 2016 is Enzo while the name of the second is not known.
Before meeting and settling down with his wife, the pitcher is rumored to have had a relationship with American soccer player Angela Rypien. The rumor started after the duo were seen together and Angela, born in 1991, left behind hints that they were dating. Shortly after, Gio came out to deny the rumor, saying he only invited her to watch his match.
Other Facts About Gio Gonzalez
- He sold his Florida home in 2015 for $1.7 million.
- He has a charity known as Giving Individuals Opportunities (GIO), which he started to help people who cannot pay medical bills.
- Gio is a huge comic book fan.
- With Hialeah, he won two state championships.
- Shortly after getting paid, he bought luxury items for his family after buying a house and a car for himself. He had his mother a Rolls Royce and a Bentley for his father, while he had a boat for his brother.
- He describes his father as talkative and all of his other family members as groovy.
- Gonzalez has a good build and height which enhances his skills. In numbers, he is 6ft 0in and weighs 203lbs.