Domingo German returned to the field with the other Yankees pitchers and catchers on Thursday in Tampa, participating in training activities on the first day of spring, although some of his teammates may disagree.
Why? Because the 28-year-old Dominican pitcher convinced the heads of the organization this winter that he would become a better man while serving a long-term suspension in 2020. Managing partner Hal Steinbrenner, GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone believe the One Hander, who won 18 games in 2019 before the domestic violence incident in September, is sorry and deserves this new opportunity to stay with the organization.
Some of your teammates may not feel that way.
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Yankees’ peacemaker Zack Britton did not beat around the bush on Thursday when asked how he would get the German back
“That’s a tough question,” said Britton in an interview with Zoom. “I don’t think he owes me anything. I think there are things outside the field that he needs to take care of. Sometimes you can’t control who your teammates are, and that’s the situation. I don’t agree with what he did. I don’t think it has a place in the game or off the field. “
That was a very powerful statement from one of the most respected players not only in the Yankees, but in all of baseball.
Britton recently tweeted a similar response in support of a reporter who went public because she was sexually harassed by a Baltimore Orioles player in 2012. Britton was on the Orioles that season, and hearing about a woman’s abuse seemed to bother him as much as be forced to be a teammate again for the German.
“My job is to go out there and launch and do my job,” said Britton. “So this is what my concern is there for. But (German) owes me nothing. I think this is something he will have to deal with alone and make better choices in the future. “
Red flags have already been raised about the German’s mood. On Wednesday night, he posted a bizarre “it’s all over” message in Spanish on his Instagram account. He quickly deleted that post and wrote a new one in Spanish that said, “I’m ready”.
“He and I talked (Thursday) about it,” said Boone. “I don’t feel like I’m in a position to tell someone how they express themselves or whatever it is (but) we are certainly paying attention to these things.
“First of all, we want to make sure that Domingo is in a good place. When I first heard (the Instagram messages on Wednesday) at night and saw – this was brought to my attention – I was a little surprised and immediately concerned. But I feel like maybe it was a little out of context and a little bit exaggerated and I’m comfortable that he is doing well and doing well and ready to compete ”.
The German, who was 18-4 with an ERA 4.03 in 27 games in 2019, will not have a spot in the Yankees’ rotation or even a spot in the 26-player squad from the season opener, Cashman and Boone said recently. But Boone and others will maintain control over German, who apparently has some work to do to repair relationships with teammates, as well as being more careful with his comments on social media.
“It is something that we will continue to watch in the best way that we can,” said Boone. “I’m trying to make sure he’s in a good place, but I had a conversation about trying to be as smart and demanding as possible about some of the things that we publicly express.”
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