Now that he’s back on the open market and up to competitive speed, veteran lefty Gio Gonzalez looks to be a fit for several clubs around baseball. The Brewers are among those with interest, per SNY.tv’s Andy Martino, who has previously linked the Mets to the southpaw. The New York organization is said be “inquiring” on Gonzalez, per Matt Ehalt of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
Both of those clubs are quite familiar with Gonzalez. He spent the end of the 2018 season in Milwaukee. That followed a lengthy stint with the Nationals, during which time he often faced the Mets.
Gonzalez is obviously past his peak at 33 years of age, but he topped 200 frames with a sub-3.00 ERA as recently as 2017 and is among the game’s most durable hurlers. He was effective in five starts late last year with the Brewers, though his postseason showing did not impress.
Through three starts at Triple-A with the Yankees organization, Gonzalez allowed ten earned runs on 19 hits. At the same time, he compiled a strong 19:6 K/BB ratio. The showing wasn’t sufficient for the Yanks to add him to their roster, but did give other teams a good look.
That these two contenders have interest seems to be a good indication that Gonzalez drew relatively positive scouting reviews. Of course, it’s also a reflection of the states of their pitching staffs. It remains to be seen whether Gonzalez will sign right onto an active roster — and, if so, at what price. His deal with the Yankees included a $3MM base salary and up to $9MM in incentives, making for a rather hefty potential payout for a minors contract.
Sorry why the hel l are the Halos not interested in Gio? He’d instantly offer an upgrade especially in light of injuries.
If ur a fan, you’d know they don’t address their rotation.
They should’ve brought back Greinke and they’d be a true wildcard contender.
The Jays need too sign Gio NOW!!! With SRF, Borucki , and Sanchez all injured and Shoemaker out, it makes perfect sense. Plus his last two outings were 18 innings pitched, and allowing just two runs . He could be flipped to a contender in July. In addition, we wouldn’t have to mess with our bullpen at all…
Blue Jays want to tank.
Adding Vlad will make it difficult to tank
Don’t be stupid McCafe
I realise Steve Adams or Matt P,I can’t remember, said the jays shouldnt be going after Gio… But why the not? Makes 0 sense in my eyes. If he’s good flip him, if not whatever, dfa him like Garcia. 7-8 Mil with a mutual option for next year… Makes 0 sense not to
It was Steve I think, not mark, maybe Jeff. He was saying they wouldn’t want to block younger pitchers and he wouldn’t want it pitch for a non-contender. I think each is somewhat correct and also would add he might not want to choose to pitch for the one international team on such a short modest deal when there were other teams interested due to the travel and tax issues. If Toronto beat the other offers by say at least 25% then yeah he should consider them but I don’t know why they would go to that length.
He’s not going to take a discount to sign with Toronto but if they offer the most money he can sign there, pitch as well as he can and just bet on them trading him to a contender in July.
Name a team that would want a 30+ pitcher with an ERA over 4?
Several teams who need pitching would! First is a veteran , next he’s a lefty who has a proven track record who can obviously can get some outs and has pitched in big games! Anything else?
Agreed. People are like he’s no ace!!
Sure but he’d be a fine #5
There’s that word again, “proven”. How can young guys ever become proven unless teams stop signing old, washed up players to block them? You wouldn’t. I get that there are no guarantees with the younger guys, but there is a guarantee with a guy like Gonzalez – mediocrity on the downside of a career arc.
Gio wants to play for a contending team, probably doesn’t have Jay’s on his list.
Name a team that would want a 30+ pitcher with an ERA over 4?
The Marlins
Why would the Marlins want to sign a player that clearly should be be considering retirement?
Errr. A touch of humour riz. Lol
To help their young pitchers by being a leader and showing them how to pitch! Anything else?
They signed Curtis.
So all the young pitchers can pitch as good as the Cy Young Candidate Gio Gonzalez.
Well if u can read it says Mets and Brewcrew.
Why would a player want to sign with a team that is likely to flip him, when he could just sign with a contender now, and only uproot his family this once?
As to why a team would sign any pitcher, ever. Because he’s better than what they have, and improves the team, at a price they are willing to pay.
Brewers badly over estimated their pitching talent and depth. It has already caught up with them early in the season. The plan to use so many young starters was a bust. Bottom line is they either add more talent or stand little chance of having the kind of season they did last year. Pitching is in trouble. Gio is decent but he is not sufficient to really turn the staff around
It’s still April, long way to go.
Biggest problem was the six-week stretch at the end of last year that should have been viewed as small sample size rather than progress. When you’ve got 40-man rosters and a host of two-pitch, max-out guys and believe they are actual long haul MLB starters…is when the pixie dust gets in your eyes. Which is where Milwaukee is now with a horrific staff.
Great point. The success of the tail end of last year clouded their judgment. It was a crap shoot to rely so heavily on young arms out of the gate. I think it has essentially backfired. Making it worse is Chacin doesn’t look like the same pitcher and Hader is showing he is human. Some of the relievers the Brewers have added in off season are useless.
So 6 weeks is a small sample size last year in your eyes but 3 weeks into this season isn’t? Makes sense to me.
But they’re still ahead of the Cubs. Horrific staff and all
Keuchel is still out there, just saying
Amazing that Gonzalez, Keuchel, and Kimbrel are still on the market when the number of teams with screaming rotation needs keeps growing by the day. I realize that one excuse (other than cost) is that it will take them weeks to get ready. In the case of MIL their rotation isn’t gonna get any better until they go outside the org for help
and QO comp for Keuchel
Yeah, this is really being missed. I’m not risking a long-term signing for a guy that will cost me a pretty good pick who is on the wrong side of 30 and whose peripherals showed signs of erosion last year. Especially if you have a good shot at getting someone in that draft who will have the impact of a Keuchel down the line, which the perenially good teams do.
Exactly. Keuchel will be signed as soon as the comp period is done.
Agreed
Duh
Mets should sign Gio and Kimbrel put Vargas and Wheeler in the bullpen and put Lugo in the rotation
When deGrom comes back this week it’ll be him,Syn,Gio,Lugo and Matz than Kimbrel,Wheeler and Vargas can help the pen.
Wheeler to the pen is dumb. Wheeler has a .306 xwOBA and Lugo’s is .335 so Wheelers better
I get that Mets fans do not like Vargas. What I don’t think Mets fans realize is that Gio is not much (if at all) better than Varagas. I’m going to pretend you didn’t imply that Lugo would be a better starter than Wheeler because that’s silly.
Mets won’t be contending. Might as well go to a winner.
Based on….? They have had a top 5-6 offense so far. They also have one of the games top 2-3 pitchers in deGrom, a high-upside Syn, and what many experts argued was a top 5 bullpen. The Mets have zero pitching depth, which has been a known issue since last season. While they should have signed Morton, or at least Buchholz…they didn’t. Now they need to sign a guy like Gio bc Vargas is a raging dumpster fire pretending to be a pitcher. He is throwing AA batting practice.
deGrom was one of the games top pitchers in 2018…that’s it. Never before that. Never after that. Will he come back around this year? Maybe. I would certainly not give up on him, but he certainly doesn’t look like a former Cy Young.
Who has a better career ERA and WHIP?
Scherzer or deGrom.
I’m not bringing Scherzer into anything. Degrom is a stud. No doubt about it. But he has an injury history and this year he has struggled, but has plenty of time to get it right.
My point was, I don’t think it’s fair to call Degrom a top 2 pitcher right now. If he bounces back? Sure. But right now? Nope.
Hee hee hee… “Initial interest in G. O.”
Obviously past his peak at 33? He’s a left handed starter not a running back.
I think “and, if so” doesn’t require a comma before if so.
Just stop it. Seriously. I know you think you’re cute but you’re just a bore.
Why does it bother you so much? Maybe he likes the site and wants it to be even better?
You could have done some research before posting this and, if so, would have encountered differing opinions from grammar experts.
Spell Checker.
Just one more piece of evidence that the machines will NEVER take over, lol.
I think removing the dash and the comma would be a good solution. Really, it probably could have been rearranged or split into two sentences for the best result.