ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Gio Gonzalez was released Monday from his minor league contract with the New York Yankees.
The 33-year-old left-hander agreed to the deal in mid-March. If added to the 40-man roster, he would have received a $3 million salary while in the major leagues and the chance to earn $9 million in performance bonuses: $300,000 for each start through 30.
Gonzalez was 2-1 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts and 15 innings with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Under the terms of his deal, he exercised his right Saturday to ask the Yankees to put him on the big league roster or release him within 48 hours.
New York had been seeking additional pitching after ace Luis Severino got hurt. Domingo German was inserted into the rotation, joining Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, CC Sabathia and J.A. Happ.
The Yankees have decided to recall Jonathan Loaisiga from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was initially going to make a spot start Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Angels, with manager Aaron Boone hoping to give the rotation an extra day of rest just past the halfway point of a stretch that includes 13 games in 13 days.
After Monday’s game went 14 innings, Boone decided he would instead start German and send reliever Joe Harvey to Triple-A.
Loaisiga made two starts for New York this month, pitching a total of just seven innings. The Nicaraguan right-hander made his first four big league starts for the Yankees last season.
Gonzalez was 10-11 with a 4.21 ERA last season for Washington and Milwaukee, which acquired him on Aug. 31. He was 3-0 in five starts for the Brewers down the stretch.
New York also agreed to a minor league contract with 29-year-old infielder Brad Miller. He hit .250 with one home and four RBIs this year for Cleveland, was designated for assignment on April 15 and elected free agency two days later.
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