The New York Yankees officially announced the signing of starting pitcher Marcus Stroman to a two-year contract with an option for 2026, and they needed to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, so they designated outfielder Oscar Gonzalez for assignment.

The Yankees were looking for starting pitching help after trading much of their depth in the trade for outfielder Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres, and after engaging on free agents like Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, and also checking in on trade candidates like Dylan Cease or Shane Bieber, general manager Brian Cashman decided signing Marcus Stroman was the way to go.

Earlier this offseason, the Yankees signed Oscar Gonzalez as a depth move for their outfield. This move was made before any of the additions to the outfield. The additions were headlined by Juan Soto, but Brian Cashman added Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham in trades as well. After adding Soto, Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham, the need for depth like Gonzalez becomes less important.

In the end, the Yankees decided to let go of Gonzalez from the 40-man roster. It will be interesting to see if he sticks in the organization in the minor leagues, or if he goes somewhere else.

The Yankees will have to make another move on the 40-man roster as well, as the signing of pitcher Luke Weaver is not official yet. It will be interesting to see who New York lets go of to make room on the roster for that addition.

Once the Luke Weaver signing becomes official, the Yankees' roster heading into the 2024 season will be pretty much set, with the exception of a possible bullpen addition or two.