The Pittsburgh Pirates are set to receive pitching help from a former New York Yankees starter. Pittsburgh reportedly selected the contract of Domingo German on Friday, per MLB.com.
German signed his second minor league deal with the Pirates in July. He had pitched for the Yankees from 2017-2023, enjoying some quality seasons along the way. He also endured some down performances, however.
German also dealt with off-the-field concerns. This led many people around the MLB world to wonder what his baseball future had in store. Pittsburgh ultimately took a chance on the veteran pitcher, and now German is returning to the big leagues.
At only 32 years old, German may end up playing a crucial role for the Pirates. Pittsburgh is looking to clinch their first postseason appearance since 2015.
The Pirates are currently 56-59. Pittsburgh is 10 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central division, and 4.5 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot. The postseason is certainly not out of the question but the Pirates will need to play an all-around more consistent brand of baseball down the stretch.
Pirates pitching situation
It is worth noting that German has experience as both a reliever and starter. The Pirates bullpen has some question marks, so German will pitch out of relief. Given his previous starting experience, though, he may be able to provide multiple innings out of the bullpen.
The Pirates feature a young starting rotation. As a result, they will likely need extra help from the bullpen as the season winds down. Being able to remove a starter in the 4th or 5th inning and turn to a reliever who can pitch multiple innings to bridge the gap in the middle of a game is a secret weapon of sorts.
Domingo German has an opportunity to drastically impact this Pirates ball club.
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