Yankees Rumors: Gio Gonzalez Opts Out of Contract; Must Be Promoted or Released

Gio Gonzalez has forced the New York Yankees to decide if they want to keep him or let him become a free agent. 

Per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the Yankees have 48 hours to add Gonzalez to their 25-man roster after he exercised his opt-out clause Saturday. 

Gonzalez signed an incentive-laden minor league deal with the Yankees on March 19 that included a $3 million base salary if he pitched in the big leagues, plus $300,000 per start. 

The deal also had an April 20 opt-out date to give Gonzalez the option of becoming a free agent if the Yankees weren't going to use him. 

ESPN's Jeff Passan noted Friday the Yankees have been pleased with Domingo German and CC Sabathia at the back of their rotation. 

New York's starting five right now includes German, Sabathia, James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka and J.A. Happ. Luis Severino has been out since spring training because of shoulder inflammation and a strained lat, but he could become a factor in the rotation later this season. 

Gonzalez could be a solid back-end starter for any team that needs depth. He's thrown at least 170 innings in each of the past four seasons and hasn't made fewer than 27 starts in a season since 2009.