The Brewers signed veteran left-hander Gio Gonzalez to help an underperforming pitching staff on Saturday.
A source told MLB.com on Wednesday that Gonzalez will receive $2 million for the remainder of this season and the deal includes $2 million more in incentives. Gonzalez hasn’t pitched since April 14, but he is scheduled to start Sunday's series finale against the Mets.
Gonzalez, 33, went 3-0 with a 2.54 ERA in seven Brewers starts last September and October after Milwaukee acquired him from the Nationals via trade. He was available after being granted his release from a Minor League contract with the Yankees on Monday after going 2-2 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts for Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre.
Most of that damage was in his first game, when Gonzalez allowed eight runs on eight hits in four innings. Over his two final starts, he struck out 18 batters and allowed two runs in 11 innings.
That sounded pretty good to the Brewers, who own the National League’s second-worst ERA, at 5.15, including a league-worst 5.77 ERA from the starters. They declined to pursue Gonzalez after he departed via free agency and went with three young starters instead, but 26-year-old Brandon Woodruff has a 5.81 ERA through five starts, 24-year-old Corbin Burnes was demoted to the Minors after allowing 11 home runs in his first four Major League starts, and Freddy Peralta is sitting on a 7.13 ERA on the injured list.
Even Opening Day starter Jhoulys Chacin, a steady contributor a season ago, is struggling. His ERA is 6.35 after allowing four runs in four innings during Wednesday's loss.
“We have some really talented arms here. Some guys have performed well, others haven’t,” said Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns after another young pitcher, Adrian Houser, took a loss in Burnes’ spot on Monday at Busch Stadium. “I think we’ve seen flashes from a number of guys that they can compete here and contribute here.
“Clearly, we need more consistent starting pitching than we have had thus far. And I do think we’re going to get it.”
After expressing that confidence in the team’s in-house talent, Stearns did say, “If there are ways we think we can improve, we'll certainly pursue them." A day and a half later, he had a deal with Gonzalez’s new representatives at CAA.
According to The Athletic, Gonzalez's incentives are based on a point system rather than the usual starts, appearances and so on, which protects Gonzalez in the event the Brewers get creative with his usage. The report said he would be awarded two points for each appearance of three innings or more as a pitcher, and one point for all other appearances as a pitcher, and would earn $333,333 at 25, 30, 35 and 40 points, and $333,334 at 45 and 50 points for an even $2 million total.
“He pitched good for us last year,” said Chacin. “Whoever can help us to get going. We haven’t pitched deep in games, we haven’t put the team in good position to win the ballgame every. That’s something we have to start to do. To get a team out of a slump, it starts with your starters.”
Over 11 seasons in the Majors, Gonzalez owns a 3.69 ERA in 313 appearances (307 starts). He has been a durable pitcher for many years, making at least 31 starts eight times.