(UPDATED AT 9:32 P.M., INCLUDES QUOTES FROM ALL PARTIES)

How's this for a one-two punch of news? The Nationals have traded reliever Jon Rauch to the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor-league second baseman Emilio Bonifacio and also have re-signed shortstop Cristian Guzman to a two-year, $16 million contract extension.

Rauch, the major-league leader in relief appearances in 2006 and 2007 who filled in admirably as the Nats' closer this season while Chad Cordero recovers from shoulder surgery, was 4-2 with a 2.98 ERA and 17 saves. His name had seemingly come up in trade talks for three years, but the Nats had always insisted on getting a high return for the right-hander.

Apparently, Bonifacio fits the bill. The 23-year-old entered the season rated the Diamondbacks' sixth-best prospect by Baseball America. The Nats have immediately optioned him to Class AAA Columbus, but make no mistake: He becomes the franchise's second baseman of the future. The speedy switch-hitter is seen as a leadoff hitter in the big leagues. With Class AA Mobile last season, he led the Southern League with 41 stolen bases and 157 hits and ranked second with 84 runs scored. He's appeared in 19 big-league games over the last two seasons, and he still needs some seasoning before he's ready to stick around long-term.

"This guy is going to be a dynamic type of player," said assistant GM Mike Rizzo, who signed Bonifacio for the D'backs in 2001 as a Dominican teenager and called him perhaps the fastest player in baseball. "I think he's really just scratched the surface."

As for the guy they had to give up to get Bonifacio... "Hard to trade Jon Rauch. I love Jon Rauch. Very difficult," GM Jim Bowden said. "But you have to trade a reliever when you have a chance to get an everyday position player who's 23 in our long-term plan."

As for Guzman, he is now signed through 2010. He'll make $8 million each of the next two years, no incentives included, which is almost twice as much as he made the last four years ($4.2 million each). Obviously, his price went up a bit when he was named to the All-Star team, but both Bowden and Guzman's agent, Stanley King, had said the player was willing to lower his price some for the Nats because of his history with the franchise. You can only imagine how much more he could have sought.

"I took this deal because I want to stay here," Guzman said. "They gave me the deal I want. Why do I have to wait? They gave me the deal I want, so that's why I [took] it."

Added Bowden: "We looked at all the alternatives out there at shortstop for the next two years, potential free agents, potential trades. We felt Cristian was the best possibility that we had to put at shortstop for the next two years."

The Rauch trade left the Nats with only 24 active players on the roster, but that issue has now been resolved. The team has recalled right-hander Garrett Mock from Columbus. Mock, who made two starts earlier this summer for Washington, will pitch out of the bullpen for now.

As for how the Nats bullpen now shakes out, manager Manny Acta said that Joel Hanrahan will get the first crack at closing. An amazing thought, when you consider that a year ago Hanrahan was a career minor-league starter who had never worked out of the bullpen, let alone closed.

"He's been our most dominant guy out of our bullpen and has the best numbers, so he'll get the crack at it," Acta said.

Hanrahan's take: "I think you've got to approach it the same. Just try to go out there and throw a scoreless inning like I usually do. I'm excited and ready for the challenge."

And finally, here's what Rauch had to say to Arizona reporters who interviewed him today: "I don't think it could have worked out any better. I'm extremely excited to be here and be a part of it and just hope I can help the club win."

• 
• Comment