Yankees' Domingo German Optioned to Alternate Site After Loss to Rays

The New York Yankees have optioned right-handed starting pitcher Domingo German to their alternate training site following the team's 4-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.

German allowed home runs to Austin Meadows and Randy Arozarena en route to giving up four earned runs and eight hits in four frames versus the Rays. He walked one and struck out five.

The 28-year-old's start followed a disappointing performance against the Toronto Blue Jays last Sunday in a 3-1 loss. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Randal Grichuk hit home runs off German, who left the game after allowing three earned runs and four hits over three frames. He struck out two and walked one.

German made his MLB debut with the Yankees in 2017. He became a full-time starter in 2018 and led the Yanks with 18 victories in 2019 while posting a 4.03 ERA.

However, German was placed on administrative leave in September 2019 under the MLB-MLBPA domestic violence policy and missed the team's final nine regular-season games and all of its nine playoff matchups.

Eventually, MLB suspended the pitcher 81 games for violating its domestic violence policy.

Lindsey Adler of The Athletic provided details leading to the suspension in February. She noted that German had multiple altercations with his girlfriend beginning with an incident at a charity gala held by ex-teammate and pitcher CC Sabathia and attended by numerous teammates and their family members:

"Germán slapped his girlfriend at the event, sources said, but the MLB investigation focused primarily on what happened at his home later that night.

"According to multiple league sources, including a person with knowledge of the MLB investigation, Germán was intoxicated and became physically violent toward his girlfriend until she hid in a locked room. The victim is said to have contacted the wife of another Yankees player, and the couple drove to Germán’s home late at night. The victim remained with the teammate’s wife, while the player attempted to calm down Germán, who is said to have been angry and belligerent."

German's 81-game suspension included the 18 games missed in 2019 and an additional 63 games in 2020, which nearly encompassed the entirety of the Yanks' shortened campaign (67 games including playoffs) in the pandemic-reduced schedule.

He earned a spot at the back end of the rotation after spring training, but it appears the Yankees will give another pitcher a shot after German allowed four home runs, seven earned runs and 12 hits in seven innings this season, going 0-2 along the way.

Deivi Garcia and Michael King figure to be the top two candidates to replace German. Garcia, 21, went 3-2 with a 4.98 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 34.1 frames last year. 

King, 25, notably threw six shutout innings in relief of German against Toronto. He appeared in nine games (four starts) the year before, posting a 7.76 ERA.