Less than a week after being released by the Baltimore Orioles, right-handed pitcher Miguel Gonzalez has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Chicago White Sox, according to MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
Gonzalez, who made at least 26 starts for Baltimore in each of the last three seasons, became a free agent this week after the Orioles released the 31-year-old pitcher in a salary dump that will save the club roughly $4 million. Baltimore is responsible for about $1.02 million of the $5.1-million salary Gonzalez will earn as a second-year arbitration-eligible player.
According to Eduardo Encina of The Baltimore Sun, the Orioles reportedly made a push to bring back Gonzalez with a "competitive" minor-league offer, and the pitcher also received interest from the New York Yankees.
Despite logging more innings with Baltimore since 2012 than all but two pitchers, Gonzalez fashioned a career-worst 4.91 ERA last year - with a 6.55 ERA over his last 11 starts - and arrived at spring training without a guaranteed job. He wasn't able to endear himself to the Orioles this spring, though, stumbling to a 9.78 ERA and 2.12 WHIP in six Grapefruit League starts, and prompting the club to release him even with Kevin Gausman poised to open the season on the disabled list.