In a year where the next man up mentality is prominent, one pitcher has stood out above the rest for the New York Yankees. That pitcher has been Domingo Germán.
In 2009, Domingo Germán was signed by the Marlins as an international free agent. Germán slowly gained steam as a touted prospect. He pitched in the 2014 All-Star Futures game as he was tearing up the minors with a 9-3 record and a 2.48 ERA. Germán was making a name for himself and becoming a rising star.
In December of 2014, the Bombers acquired Nathan Eovaldi to fill the void in the rotation. However, that package included Germán who has lasted even longer on the Yankees than Eovaldi. The Yankees had a rising star in their hands and may not have even realized it.
The return of Domingo German for the New York Yankees:
A Tommy John surgery plagued Germán’s 2015 campaign and sent him to the DL for the season. After rehabbing, Germán was let go and resigned to a minor league deal. Germán used this as fuel and posted an ERA of 3.08 and a 1-3 record in the 10 games he started as he continued to bounce back from injury.
Then, in 2017 Germán put himself back on track. He posted a 2.88 ERA and an 8-6 record as he rocketed through the minor leagues. Germán even earned a shot on the big league roster as a reliever, ending up with a 3.14 ERA and 18ks. The youngster didn’t dazzle but he did enough to turn heads of the higher-ups. 2018 looked primed to be the year Germán built himself a residency in the majors.
2018 began and the strikeout-machine had a roller coaster year. Germán performed poor in the Scranton shuttle. It was evident Germán was best as a starter and the Yankees didn’t have a need there right away. Then, last season Germán was given an opportunity to shine and he did spectacular. He didn’t even allow a single hit in his 6 innings of work. Although Germán had bumps in the road, he finished his major league season with a 5.57 ERA, a 2-6 record and over 100 strikeouts.
When the Yankees went into the offseason, many (including myself), wrote Domingo off and saw him being another spot starter who went up and down between the Bronx and Scranton. Little did anyone know that as the end of May nears, he looks like one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. Germán currently has a 2.56 ERA and a phenomenal 5-1 record and 32 Ks. Germán has made a spot for himself and is finally showing his full potential.
As Germán continues to dazzle, it’s easy to forget what he’s gone through to get here. He’s a prime example of getting to the majors despite all obstacles and right now he’s being rewarded for his struggles. The righty has become a fixture in the Yankees rotation and figures to be in the foreseeable future. If one bright spot can be taken from the banged-up bombers than it is the success of Domingo Germán.