Trevor Gott

Early years

Gott was born in Lexington, Kentucky. He was a pitcher on the Southeast Lexington team that went to the Cal Ripken 12-and-Under World Series in 2005. During one game in that series, he struck out nine batters in three innings. Gott attended Tates Creek High School. In 2010, a writer with The State Journal referred to him as "one of the best pitchers in the state."

College career

Gott played college baseball at the University of Kentucky for the Wildcats from 2011 to 2013. After his freshman year, he pitched in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was the winner of the Russell Ford Award as the leagues reliever of the year. As a sophomore in 2012, Gott set the Kentucky record for saves in a season with nine. Before the start of the 2013 season, Gott had recovered from a minor bout of bursitis and he was on the preseason watch list for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award. That year he broke his own single-season save record, finishing with 12, and he also set the school's all-time saves record with 20.

Minor leagues

In early 2013, Baseball America named Gott as the second-best draft prospect from the University of Kentucky behind Corey Littrell. Gott was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the sixth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft. He signed with the Padres and made his professional debut with the Eugene Emeralds. After making four appearances with Eugene, he was promoted to the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

Gott started 2014 with the Lake Elsinore Storm and was named a California League All-Star. He was promoted to the Double-A San Antonio Missions in July.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

On July 19, 2014, Gott, along with Huston Street, was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Taylor Lindsey, R. J. Alvarez, José Rondón and Elliot Morris. The Angels sent him to the Arkansas Travelers, where he finished the season. He made his MLB debut on June 14, 2015. He later became a big part of the Angels' bullpen, when closer Houston Street and Joe Smith were both out on injuries.

Washington Nationals

On December 10, 2015, Gott, along with Michael Brady, was traded to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Yunel Escobar. Gott spent most of the 2016 season in Triple A with the Syracuse Chiefs and was called up in September when the rosters were expanded to 40 men. Gott posted a 1.50 ERA in 6 innings over 9 appearances in the majors.

Gott was called up to the majors on June 12, 2017, with the Nationals needing bullpen reinforcements. He earned his first win with the Nationals on June 13, but he ended up as the team's "sacrificial lamb" in a loss to the Atlanta Braves the next day, needing 52 pitches to get through 2⅔ innings before he was relieved. Gott was optioned back to Syracuse after the game. Gott was recalled July 14 after Sammy Solis was optioned to the minors and Joe Ross was placed on the disabled list with a torn ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow. Appearing in the ninth inning of a 10–2 game against the Cincinnati Reds the next day, Gott proceeded to give up five earned runs without recording an out before de facto closer Matt Grace entered to record the save. The Nationals again optioned Gott to Syracuse on July 18.