The Yankees and free agent outfielder Luis Gonzalez have agreed to a minor league contract, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. He’ll be in Major League camp this spring.
The 28-year-old Gonzalez has played in parts of three big league seasons between the White Sox and Giants, compiling a .253/.328/.368 batting line in 363 plate appearances. The 2017 third-round pick once rated as one of the better prospects in the ChiSox’ system, but he hasn’t yet found sustained success in the big leagues.
Gonzalez got out to a hot start in 2022, his first season with the Giants, after coming over from the Sox via waivers late in the 2021 season. Through June 21 of the 2022 season, Gonzalez was hitting .302/.361/.447 in 180 plate appearances, but a lower back strain shelved him for the next two and a half weeks. He was activated on July 9 but returned to the injured list with another back strain about six weeks later — this time missing the remainder of the season. Gonzalez may never have been fully healthy upon returning, as he batted only .204/.282/.270 in 170 trips to the plate between those two IL stints.
The back troubles persisted into the 2023 season, and Gonzalez eventually underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc. That procedure kept him out from mid-March through early July. He didn’t make it back to San Francisco’s big league roster but did suit up for 31 minor league games following the operation, during which he posted a .248/.350/.352 batting line in 123 trips to the plate.
The Yankees obviously have no room in the big league outfield after acquiring Juan Soto, Trent Grisham and Alex Verdugo in trades this offseason. Soto and Verdugo will flank Aaron Judge, who’ll be the team’s primary center fielder, while Grisham will give them a lefty-swinging fourth outfielder with a plus glove to come off the bench late in games. Like Grisham, Gonzalez is a lefty bat with experience at all three outfield slots. The Yankees have a trio of depth outfielders — Everson Pereira, Estevan Florial and recent waiver claim Oscar Gonzalez — all on the 40-man roster ahead of their new signing. Gonzalez seems likely to open the year in Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre.
More solid depth moves by Cashman. Of course if Stearns made similar wise moves, some would call for his scalp.
Gonzalez as a Giant looked formidable. He won’t hit for much pop, but if his back is okay, this is a guy—given the chance—can hit .300 in the majors.
Noooo! This man hit a WS Game 7 walk-off, bloop single off of Mariano Rivera in 2001 for the Snakes. I don’t want him on my team!
Mo got beaten by a five year old? He looked so tall.
He was using an inflatable bat for crying out loud bc Mo’s cutter was unhittable.
Bloop my as$, that was a bomb for a 5 year old!
If you see the slow-mo of that hit, the inflatable bat lights up and says “home run!” when he hit it.
@10centBeerNight you do realize that the Yankees got major league calibur players like Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo right? All the Mets have gotten is “depth”. Your a clown
Except the problem is too many of these depth signings actually play because he puts all of his eggs in a handful of players and you’re left running a lineup where a third of it is spare parts cast aside by “lesser” teams than the Yankees. Like Carpenter and Bauers.
Makes no sense! Unless they are going to trade Verdugo or Grisham in order to make additional moves! I know it’s a minor league deal but still.
Uhh, I don’t think they’re banking on him being in the roster unless someone gets injured.
It’s a cheap depth move in case of an emergency. He’ll play most of the year in AAA.
Why doesnt it make sense? Straightforward depth signing. If he’s healthy, could be a nice piece to have available at Scranton.
Plus, he still has a minor league option left so makes all the sense in the world!
You can’t say “makes no sense” and “I know it’s a minor league deal” in the same comment and expect to be taken seriously.
If you can’t beat LuGo in the World Series, get your own LuGo.
is there a bill mazeroski out there we can sign?
I have my doubts Yankees retain Grisham and that expensive $5.3 million projected arbitration salary. Florial puts up similar or better numbers for mlb minimum.
I’ve seen this opinion expressed several times on this site.
Grisham has consistently rated as an above average defensive centerfielder with a slightly below league average bat (career 95ops+). As an overall package, he rates as a highly useful starting centerfielder.
Florial has thus far in the majors been a below average outfielder on defense and his offense is far worse. Can he become useful some day, sure. Right now, Florial is the guy you put at the end of your bench. He hasn’t earned a starting job anywhere in the majors yet. Grisham has.
You really don’t know what your talking about, not sure if Florial will hit, but defensively he’s excellent and can play all 3 outfield positions with a cannon of a arm.
Baseball Savant has his Outs Above Average for 2022 at -1, and plus 1 in 21 and 23 for a career total of plus 1. . Defensive Runs Saved has him at 0, -3, -1 in Center for 2021, 2022, 2023, totalling a career -4 in Center.
Your rose-colored Yankees glasses may say he’s the greatest thing since slice bread, but the actual stats say otherwise.
He has so far in the majors been at best a league average defender.
Is he capable of more? sure, but it hasn’t happened yet.
And that was the point I was making. Florial is raw and unproven. Grisham is established and a team like the Yanks shouldn’t be starting a year with an unproven player in the starting lineup unless injuries force their hand.
Interesting. He’s essentially the same player from minors to the majors. A bit less power in the majors. .250 hitter and .300 wOBA.
The roid freak that beat them in the 2001 World Series?
Does it make you feel old that some people on this site weren’t born when that happened but can now legally purchase alcohol? It does me.
Gon@o was no ‘roid freak. Yankees choked fair and square.
@toycan,
Agreed, he just got much better while approaching middle age. He’s the athletic equivalent of a vintage Cabernet Sauvignon.
That’s right because the Yankees were totally clean and roid-free themselves…Clemens, Pettitte, Stanton, Knoblauch, David Justice…
I doubt if Verdugo would be moved, they traded for him. Grisham might draw some interest, however.
They traded for Grisham too, though…
reserve the date in november: the canyon of heroes world series parade here we come. luis gonzalez wooohooo that just tipped the needle to full blast
This signing confirms Yamamoto has chosen the Yankees. Why? I have no idea.
Hey if the Yankees sign Monty, Hader, and Montas with the Yamamoto $. I think we’ll be alright, regardless we still want Yamamoto though. Let’s hope he makes a decision sooner then later.
Typical depth signing. But when Red Sox do this. ‘Its the end of the world as we know it’.
If only they had Luis Gonzalez in 2001
Still too soon
Yankees love sub .249 hitters. Jahahah way to compete with Huston and Tampa lmao
Yep that explains Soto and Verdugo allrighty…
Luis Gonzalez coming out of retirement. Good for him.
somewhere in panama mariano rivera senses a disturbance in the force
LuGu and Jeter back at Yankee stadium . What a throw back Thursday it is !
I see the Yankees have been watching some old world series games. “Hey, sign that guy that beat us!”. “Brian, that was 20 years ago” “hmmm, make it so anyway”
I read that as Bell at first. As in David Bell. You know to go along with Luis Gonzales
He’s a good player overall and has promise. The back injury severely hindered him and I hope it’s better now. Solid dude too, Giants fans liked him in the short time he was here.
Surprised he got past the White Sox and their Goofy org.
Good depth signing the Yankees need bodies at Scranton
Just rubs me the wrong way the yanks ever having a guy named Luis Gonzalez