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Yankees, Gio Gonzalez agree to minor-league deal

Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The New York Yankees have agreed to a minor-league contract with free-agent left-hander Gio Gonzalez.

"Wearing pinstripes for the first time is pretty exciting," Gonzalez said Tuesday, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. "I never thought in my wildest dreams I'd be a Yankee. I'm so happy to be a Yankee."

Gonzalez can opt out of the deal if he's not in the majors by April 20, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

The lefty would earn a base salary of $3 million should he crack the Yankees' big-league roster, and he could also earn additional incentives based on games started in 2019, sources told Rosenthal.

Gonzalez provides the Yankees with additional rotation depth in the wake of multiple injuries this spring. Ace Luis Severino will be sidelined until at least May due to an inflamed rotator cuff, while veteran CC Sabathia's 2019 debut is delayed until the middle of April thanks to offseason heart surgery and a five-game suspension from last year that he still needs to serve.

"I think right now, especially being a couple of guys down, to have a guy like (Gonzalez) still available, (it's) a luxury to be able to add him just for depth," Yankees manager Aaron Boone told Newsday's Erik Boland. "(We're) excited to have him."

The 33-year-old posted a 4.71 ERA (100 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, 148 strikeouts, and 80 walks over 171 innings with the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers last season. He was particularly effective after being traded to Milwaukee on Aug. 31, going 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA in five September starts to help the Brewers win the National League Central and eventually reach the NLCS.

A two-time All-Star, Gonzalez owns a career record of 127-97 with a 3.69 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 1,748 strikeouts over 1,814 innings with the Brewers, Nationals, and Oakland Athletics. His best season came in 2012 when he was a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award.

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