The New York Yankees winningest pitcher might not even be a member of the rotation when the postseason rolls around.
There’s a chance Domingo German leads the MLB in wins in 2019. There’s an equally good chance that the New York Yankees youngster gets pulled from the rotation come October.
NJ.com’s Pete Caldera asked Yankees manager Aaron Boone about his playoff pitching plan on Sunday. Boone didn’t beat around the bush in the least:
“Domingo’s a guy you could see…pitching in relief in certain situations. We’ll see how it looks moving forward.’’
German, who just turned 27 in August, has thrown a pro-career high of 136.2 innings in 2019. That’s 13.1 frames more than his previous max, which he accomplished way back in 2014 at single-A.
As a result, there has been talk of an innings limit for German coming into play for months. If New York does pull him from the rotation, the timing couldn’t be more appropriate; the man he replaced, ace Luis Severino, is just about ready to make his 2019 debut.
When the Yankees started the season without Severino, German immediately stepped in and established himself as the Bombers’ best starter.
Domingo Germán is our April Hurler of the Month. Stay tuned for more ? in May. pic.twitter.com/ZgtNjdVA99
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 5, 2019
Although his second-half numbers have dipped hard (4.90 ERA since the All-Star break), German has put together a true breakout season.
Overall, he’s 17-4 with a 4.21 ERA this year. Only the great and powerful Justin Verlander has more wins, with a total of 18 for the Houston Astros.
Even if German heads to the bullpen, he could pick up a few more wins before season’s end and top the league.
The Yankees certainly don’t have the best rotation heading into the postseason (tipping my hat to you, Houston); however, they could have something no other playoff team does—a 20-game winner coming in to relieve their starters.
We might find out in October whether such a weapon makes a difference or not.
