Braves officially release Gonzalez 2 days after stunning trade

The Adrian Gonzalez era in Atlanta is over before it ever really began.

The Braves officially released the first baseman Monday after acquiring him in a surprising five-player trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday afternoon, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman.

It was an expected move, as Gonzalez agreed to waive his no-trade clause because he was told he'd hit the open market by Wednesday.

Related: Braves DFA Adrian Gonzalez after blockbuster trade

The veteran first baseman missed much of 2017 with a back injury, appearing in only 71 games. In his five-plus seasons with the Dodgers, he hit .280/.339/.454 with 101 home runs, 164 doubles, and 448 RBIs in 735 games.

Gonzalez, who's willing to play for a minimum salary, hopes to stay close to his home in San Diego, but is mostly interested in playing time, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.