Gio Gonzalez a Mets’ option with Yankees breakup imminent

Nearly forgotten amid this early season Yankees roller-coaster is the veteran pitcher fighting to resuscitate his career in northeast Pennsylvania.
But no longer, with decisions coming Saturday from minor league pitcher Gio Gonzalez and general manager Brian Cashman.
Gonzalez, signed by the Yankees near the end of spring training as rotation insurance, is expected to opt out of the deal, according to ESPN.
The ball club would have 48 hours to add him to their roster, and if not, he’d re-enter the free agent market that wasn’t too kind to him over the winter despite an impressive stop with Milwaukee last summer. In three appearances with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Triple-A this season, Gonzalez has pitched to a 2-1 record and 6.00 ERA, striking out 19 while surrendering one home run and 10 earned runs. He’d command a $3 million salary in the majors under his current contract, and would likely go up against the much younger Domingo German ($577,500) for the final rotation spot until the unknown return of ace Luis Severino.
Adding to the intrigue is that the 33-year-old Gonzalez left super-agent Scott Boras on Friday, MLB.com reported, to join CAA — the agency formerly headed by current Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen.
Mets representatives will be in Buffalo on Friday night to scout the southpaw, according to SNY, while the shaky Jason Vargas takes the mound for the big-league club in St. Louis. The Mets pitching staff — supposed to the team’s backbone — ranks 27th in the majors with a 5.54 ERA, weighed down by the 36-year-old Vargas with a 14.21 ERA through three games.
As the Mets are not expected to break the bank for former Cy Young winner and free agent Dallas Keuchel, Gonzalez would come cheaper should they decide to take Vargas out of the rotation, or if ace Jacob deGrom — scheduled to undergo an MRI exam for his elbow Saturday — misses time.
“I don’t know what’s above me. I just know what I can do in front of me,” Gonzalez recently told The Post’s Mark W. Sanchez. “And the Yankees were the only team that gave me that opportunity. I can only be grateful for this organization for as long as they need me.”
Source: Read Full Article