Gio Gonzalez switches agents ahead of Saturday opt-out

MLB Rumors: Gio Gonzalez and the New York Yankees agreed to a minor league deal late in the spring that gives Gonzalez the right to opt out if he is not added to the Yankees’ 25 man roster by tomorrow. According to Mark Feinsand, in advance of that opt-out date, Gonzalez has fired Scott Boras as his agent and retained CAA as his representatives.

That’s an interesting move, and may be a signal that Gonzalez believes he may not be added and could be back on the free agent market. Gonzalez gets a $3 million base salary in the majors, and gets an additional $300,000 per start. That would put him in line to make $10-13 million, assuming the Yankees add him to the active roster.

Gonzalez has allowed 10 runs in 15 innings over three starts in the minors, which isn’t great — but then, it’s basically his spring training. The Yankees need starting pitching, particularly with their slow start, so one would think they will add Gonzalez tomorrow.

However, if New York doesn’t add Gonzalez and he opts our, he would seem to be someone the Rangers would have interest in. The rotation depth was an issue even before the season, and with Edinson Volquez now out and Shelby Miller struggling, Texas could use a veteran arm that could step into the rotation right away. Gonzalez would seem to fit the bill.

That said, Gonzalez would seem to have other suitors as well — the Yankees’ crosstown rival, the Mets, could use starting pitching help, for one example — and the Rangers, despite their early success, don’t look like contenders, meaning if Gonzalez signs here, he may be signing up to get dealt elsewhere in a couple of months.

Still, it’s sonething to keep an eye on over the next 36 hours.

UPDATE — It is sounding like Gonzalez may be on the market tomorrow: