The New York Yankees are currently short on reliable starters. Gerrit Cole is a bonafide ace, but James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, and J.A. Happ are all free agents. Rounding out the rotation, as things stand now, are Jordan Montgomery, Domingo German, and Deivi Garcia. More depth is needed, especially if you consider the fact that Luis Severino likely won’t be pitching in the first half of the season and Clarke Schmidt could use some minor league seasoning.
That is precisely why the New York Yankees need German to put his off-field issues well behind him and perform on the mound. The right-hander was suspended for the whole 2020 season after a domestic incident put a cloud on his big league future in September 2019.
Hoping that he learned a valuable life lesson, the Yankees still haven’t dismissed German from their 2021 plans, and look eager to welcome him back as long as he behaves and shows personal growth.
Right now, German is pitching for Toros del Este in the Dominican winter league (LIDOM.) He started the season on fire, hurling four scoreless innings last Monday. And yesterday, the Yankees’ righty dominated once again.
The Yankees’ righty is dealing
Against Leones del Escogido, German conceded just one run and three hits over five innings in a no-decision for Toros in a 3-2 win at Juan Marichal Stadium in Santo Domingo, D.R.
German broke out in 2019, with a 18-4 record and a 4.03 ERA (4.72 FIP, 4.06 SIERA) in 143.0 frames with the Yankees. He struck out 9.63 batters per each nine innings.
But he slipped somewhat in the second half, and missed 2019’s playoffs after the news of the domestic violence incident came to light.
“Hopefully he puts himself back in the mix,†Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the YES Network this week. The Bombers need his arm more than ever.