The New York Yankees are closing in on the American League East Division title, but the quality of their postseason roster is in peril after starting pitcher Domingo German was placed on administrative leave due to a domestic violence issue.
German was allegedly seen by an official from the commissioner's office in a public setting where German struck his girlfriend across the face:
I’m told the incident involving Domingo German and his girlfriend occurred late Monday night/Tuesday morning in a public setting – he allegedly slapped her during an argument. According to an MLB source, the incident was witnessed by an official from the Commissioner’s office.
— Bob Klapisch (@BobKlap) September 19, 2019
According to ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan, German's postseason status is uncertain:
New York Yankees starter Domingo Germán's availability to pitch in the postseason is in jeopardy, sources tell ESPN. The agreement between MLB/MLBPA to place Germán on administrative leave despite the lack of a police report indicates potential seriousness of domestic incident.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 19, 2019
This could be a massive blow for the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers have had a below-average starting rotation for the entirety of the regular season, as James Paxton has struggled to live up to his potential while C.C. Sabathia has spent plenty of time on the injured list.
German had been arguably the most reliable pitcher in the rotation, posting an 18-4 record with a 4.03 ERA in 24 starts. The 27-year-old had his best month since April in August, going 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA despite giving up a whopping 10 homers. German had also been having success pitching behind “openers.”
Things have been incredibly up and down all season for the Yankees, in spite of the fact that they have the second-best MLB record.
While Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Severino have returned to the big-league club, Dellin Betances suffered a partially torn Achilles tendon in his season debut. Similarly, productive utility players such as Mike Tauchmann will miss the rest of the year.
The latest incident with German is extremely troubling not only from an individual standpoint, but also for a New York team that seems to find drama at every turn as it prepares for October.
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