By Chris Kirchner, Brendan Coote and Eno Sarris
Yankees right-handed pitcher Domingo German was ejected during Tuesday’s 6-3 win over the New York Blue Jays. Here’s what you need to know:
- The German was checked by each judge before the fourth round and was found to have an illegal substance in his possession.
- The 30-year-old pitched three scoreless innings with two strikeouts before exiting.
- German spent each of his six seasons in the MLB with the Yankees, compiling a career ERA of 4.34 and a record of 28-24.
- as if Pool report interview After the match, team manager James Hoey said Germany’s hand was “stickier than I’ve ever felt”.
The athleticsQuick analysis:
What does this mean for the Yankees?
German, who was scrutinized a month ago for excessive adhesions in his arm, struck out a career-high 11 batters in 6 1/3 innings in his start against the Twins. The German was allowed to resume singing that season after referees allowed him to wash his hands.
The Yankees said it was rosin, which is legal unless overused or under-applied. The German will now be banned for 10 games after being sent off in Tuesday’s game.
The Yankees are not allowed to replace German on the roster, although they can easily designate relief pitcher Ryan Weber for assignment and call up a starter from the minor leagues if they wish. The Yankees have an off day next Monday, so the team could easily jump Germany’s spot next time around.
Luis Severino could make his season debut on Sunday after throwing 55 pitches in a rehab assignment Tuesday night. – Kirschner
More reason to worry?
Furthermore, reliever Ian Hamilton had a two-out walk in the third inning. Hamilton left with a coach – a bad sign.
The Yankees have yet to say what’s wrong with Hamilton, but they can’t afford to lose the 27-year-old right-hander. It has been a revelation. Added to the roster as a non-invite in big league spring training, Hamilton came into Tuesday with a 1.27 ERA in 15 games, leading the ball with a comical “slambio.”
The Yankees’ bullpen has been decimated by injuries to Jonathan Loiciga, Tommy Kahnle and Lou Trivino. The starting staff is also broken. The news on Hamilton needs to be good or else general manager Brian Cashman will have to dig deep into the Triple-A roster to replace him.
“I think (Hamilton) is going to slow down a little bit,” manager Aaron Boone told reporters after the game. “We’ll see. I think he’s going back to New York.” – Cutie
What can German spin rates tell us?
Germany’s spin rates didn’t increase dramatically – they were well within the normal range from game to game, at least 50-60 RPM higher than the seasonal average, while the normal range between pitchers was over 150 RPM, a point why using spin rates alone is not a good way to enforce a ban on stickies.
We know he’s been forced to wash his hands before, but we don’t know what and when he uses them. Therefore, there is no easy baseline to prepare for a pitcher. If you were to look at the spin rates for the starter alone today, you would suggest Germany for further inspection. – Sarees
What are they saying?
“The hand was obviously shiny on the palm and fingertips,” Hoye said. “The moment I looked at his hand, it was very shiny and very sticky. It’s the tightest hand I’ve ever felt.
“It wasn’t Rosin…I felt Rosin’s hands and it definitely wasn’t Rosin. It was very sticky. Rosin is usually a bit sticky. This was sticky. My fingers were struggling to leave his palm.
“Obviously, it’s okay,” Boone told reporters. And we’re talking about – what’s the line? It’s hard. He’s been on the cross a bit. It has risen to a level where they don’t think it’s good. Ultimately, it’s Domingo’s responsibility to make sure we’re in a better place there… But the reality is we all have to have a good idea what the line is, and apparently, Domingo crossed it tonight.
Asked if the substance was rosin in the Yankees’ start against Minnesota in April, Boone said, “I think it was the same.” See, they’re always comparing hands, and of course, there’s nothing on the other side. There will be no action. I don’t know what the line is. He said he was very stuck. That was the explanation.
The German explained through the interpreter: “Just a bag of rosin. There are two types of pink bags. You have a rock and a sand. I use the sand. A couple of games ago, they mentioned that I wasn’t using it enough on the mound. Tonight, I’m using it on the mound and that’s it.
“I also wanted to say that I have to apologize to my teammates and my team. I’m putting them in a tough spot knowing how much the bullpen has been used. I’m putting them in a tough spot.”
It is necessary to read
(Photo: Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)