Explaining Gio Gonzalez’s $12M strikeout Tuesday night

Here's how a nine-pitch strikeout Tuesday night was worth $12 million to Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez:

When Gonzalez struck out Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte in the first at-bat at Nationals Park, the out pushed him to 180 innings pitched in 2017, triggering his option for the 2018 season.

According to the Washington Post, Gonzalez, 31, appeared hesitant to talk about the option, part of what the Post described as "part of a team-friendly ($42 million) deal negotiated by his former agents" before he hired Scott Boras.

“We’ll just focus and continue to strive to get better. … We’re not there yet so we got to focus,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez, who took the loss Tuesday to fall to 14-7, nonetheless entered the start with the third-lowest ERA among qualified starters, behind only the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw and teammate Max Scherzer. For context, the $12 million Gonzalez will be paid in 2018 is close to only a third of what Kershaw ($33 million) will earn.

In short, Gonzalez is a bargain, not only for what he brings to the Nats rotation but also the clubhouse. After next season? His price is going to go up.