After early injuries to starting pitchers CC Sabathia and Luis Severino thinned out the New York Yankees rotation, the Bombers have reportedly signed veteran free agent lefty Gio Gonzalez to a minor league deal, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. CBS Sports ranks Gonzalez No. 25 on our Free Agent Tracker.
The respected Gio Gonzalez lands deal w/ Yankees, but will be under some pressure immediately. In camp five weeks after his peers, has a month-long audition before his opt-out, and NYY have zero risk.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 19, 2019
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal has more details on the deal:
Sources confirm: #Yankees close to deal with free-agent left-hander Gio Gonzalez, as @JonHeyman reported. Per source, will be minor-league contract with $3M base if he is in majors. Includes out on April 20 and additional incentives based on games started.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 19, 2019
Gonzalez wasn't strongly linked to any particular team this offseason, but he's extremely durable, having made at least 31 starts four seasons in a row and eight of the last nine years. His numbers tailed off a bit in 2018, but his 4.21 ERA in 171 innings from last season is still playable at the back of the Yankees rotation. Adding Gonzalez gives the Yankees insurance with Sabathia and Severino beginning the year on the injured list, without adding an expensive long-term contract to their payroll or having to adjust the 40-man roster.
