New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German took to Instagram for some cryptic posts that imply he is retiring from baseball.
Domingo German made some posts to his Instagram that suggest he won’t return to the New York Yankees and will retire from baseball.
There were two posts to German’s Instagram page, both of which were in Spanish. The first was a traditional post reported by ESPN’s Marly Rivera. MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, the longtime Yankees beat writer, posted the second which appeared to come from German’s Instagram story.
In a cryptic Instagram post, Domingo Germán says the following: “Some people make history on both sides (?), I think I did my part at Yankee Stadium, if I decide not to come back, I will be very proud of my 11-year professional career. God bless everyone who has supported me.” pic.twitter.com/gewdFy6HIH
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) July 17, 2020
#Yankees pitcher Domingo German posted this on his Instagram page. Translation is: “I left baseball. Thanks my people.” pic.twitter.com/8CSWcX9q05
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) July 18, 2020
German, 27, will not appear this season as he serves what was initially an 81-game domestic violence suspension. Under normal circumstances, he would have missed 63 games of a full 2020 season. The shortened campaign meant no regular-season return, though German would have been eligible for the playoffs.
German broke out for the Yankees in 2019 and went 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA before he was placed on administrative leave in September. His arm was missed in the postseason as New York fell to the Houston Astros in six games in the ALCS.
Domingo German’s Confusing Future
This news is, well, hard to understand. Before the coronavirus pandemic shut down professional sports, Domingo German was absolutely in the Yankees’ 2020 plans. There were some question marks surrounding J.A. Happ and Jordan Montgomery. Happ had a rough 2019, and Montgomery is coming back from Tommy John surgery. German could have filled in upon returning if either struggled.
But now, it appears German is removing himself from the picture for reasons that aren’t yet clear. The timing of it all is just strange. The Yankees played their final intrasquad game of summer camp tonight and Opening Day is Thursday. Why would he decide to announce his retirement now? Especially when he can come back in the playoffs.
If Domingo German is indeed done with the game, he will retire with a record of 20-11 with a 4.52 ERA in just 55 games. He went out on a high note as, despite his suspension, he led the majors in winning percentage in 2019.
As for the Yankees, this just means a new opportunity for young arms like Mike King or Clarke Schmidt. There’s a hole in the pitching staff that could need filling and expect each to pounce on it.
This writer’s only regret, despite Domingo German being a flawed man, is that their opportunity comes from the loss of a teammate. That said, there is still a lot of detail missing from this story, and the Yankees will surely address everything soon.
