Yanks agree to deal with pitcher Gonzalez

KISSIMMEE, FLA. >> The Yankees reached into the remainder of the free-agent market to bolster their ailing rotation, agreeing Monday to a minor league contract with Gio Gonzalez.

If added to the 40man roster, the 33-yearold left-hander would get a $3 million salary while in the major leagues and the chance to earn performance bonuses. He was a far cheaper alternative to higher-priced options such as Dallas Keuchel.

“Being a couple guys down, to have a guy like him still available, a luxury to be able to add him just for some depth,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s certainly good enough to be very much in the mix of things. But we’ll see how far along he is and if we’re at a point where he’s in play actually for the next couple, few weeks.”

New York ace Luis Severino is sidelined by right shoulder inflammation and will not be available until May at the earliest. In addition, CC Sabathia is likely to miss the first week or two as he recovers from an offseason that included knee surgery and the insertion of a stent after a blockage was found in an artery from his heart. Sabathia also must serve a five-game suspension for hitting Tampa Bay’s Jesus Sucre with a pitch in his last regular-season start of 2018.

Gonzalez is a two-time All-Star and was 21-12 in 2012, his first season with the Nationals. He is 127-97 with a 3.69 ERA in 11 major league seasons and just finished the second option season of a contract that wound up being worth $65.5 million over seven years.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Gonzalez can opt out of his deal if he’s not added to the major league roster by April 20.

“It’s him compared to anybody else we currently have at Triple-A through April 20, and the guy he has always been is lot better than those guys,” Cashman said.