The Oakland A's traded left-handed pitcher Sean Doolittle and right-handed pitcher Ryan Madson to the Washington Nationals for right-handed pitcher Blake Treinen, minor league infielder Sheldon Neuse and minor league left-handed pitcher Jesus Luzardo, the club announced today. The A's also selected right-handed pitcher Simon Castro from Triple-A Nashville.
 
Doolittle was 1-0 with three saves and a 3.38 ERA in 23 relief appearances with Oakland. He had a .158 opponents batting average and left-handed hitters were 0-for-23 with 12 strikeouts against him. The 30-year-old left-hander also did not allow a hit against first batters faced as they were 0-for-21 with a walk and a sacrifice fly. He was on the disabled list from April 27 to May 14 with a strained left shoulder, his fifth career stint on the DL.
 
Doolittle was originally drafted by the A's as a compensation pick following the first round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft and began his career as a first baseman. He converted to pitcher late in the 2011 season, made his Major League debut in 2012 and was named to the American League All-Star Team in 2014. Doolittle set an Athletics record for saves by a left-handed pitcher with 22 in 2014 and went 13-13 with 36 saves and a 3.09 ERA in 254 career relief appearances over six seasons with Oakland.
 
Madson was 2-4 with a save and a 2.06 ERA in 40 relief appearances. He has held the opposition to a .188 batting average and is averaging 1.37 walks per nine innings, which ranks fourth lowest among American League relievers. The 36-year-old right-hander was signed by the A's as a free agent to a three-year contract following the 2015 season and was 8-11 with 31 saves and a 3.02 ERA in 103 relief appearances in two years with Oakland. Madson is 56-43 with 86 saves and a 3.40 ERA in 662 career appearances overall.
 
Treinen was 0-2 with three saves, a 5.73 ERA and .320 opponents batting average in 37 relief appearances with Washington. He was originally drafted by Oakland in seventh round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft and was traded to the Nationals Jan. 16, 2013 as part of a three-team deal in which the A's acquired John Jaso from Seattle and sent A.J. Cole and Treinen to Washington while the Nationals sent Michael Morse to Seattle. The 29-year-old right-handed pitcher made his Major League debut with Washington in 2014 and is 8-11 with four saves and a 3.39 ERA in 185 games in four seasons in the majors.
 
Neuse is batting .291 with nine home runs and 51 RBI in 77 games with Single-A Hagerstown in the South Atlantic League. He has appeared in 43 games at shortstop and 33 at third base. Originally the Nationals second round pick in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft, Neuse is currently rated as Washington's sixth best prospect by MLB.com. The 22-year-old right-handed hitter played collegiately at the University of Oklahoma where he was a three-time All Big-12 selection.
 
Luzardo was pitching for the Nationals affiliate in the Gulf Coast Rookie League and is 1-0 with a 1.32 ERA in three starts in his professional debut. He has not walked a batter in 13.2 innings and has struck out 15. The 19-year-old left-hander was Washington's third round pick in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft and is listed as the National's 10th best prospect by MLB.com. Luzardo was drafted out of Stoneman Douglas (FL) High School after undergoing "Tommy John" surgery on March 22, 2016.
 
Castro was a non-roster invitee with the A's this spring and was 3-5 with four saves, a 3.32 ERA and .176 opponents batting average in 33 games with Nashville. He has not allowed an earned run over his last 10 games and has walked just one batter in 11.0 innings over that span. The 29-year-old right-hander made his Major League debut with Chicago (AL) in 2013 and also pitched for Colorado in 2015. Castro is 2-1 with a 4.76 ERA in 15 career relief appearances.