Domingo German couldn’t make it out of the fourth inning in a 7-5 loss to the Mets on Friday night. Can the problems he’s having be worked out at the Major League level?
“We just optioned him, so he’s gonna work it out down there and hopefully get mechanically sound because I think everyone in this room has seen him be successful and see what he can be when he’s throwing his fastball for strikes,” Aaron Boone said after the game. “He can be very tough, so I think it’s a good time for him to go down and iron some things out and hopefully get it going a little bit so that he can be an option for us again.”
The Yankees certainly didn’t waste any time in sending the young right-handed down to Triple-A. Luis Cessa will make the start on Wednesday afternoon.
German gave up three runs in the first inning and then gave up a third inning home run to Yoenis Cespedes after falling behind in the count 3-0.
German is now 2-6 with a 5.68 ERA in 19 games (13 starts).
“I think it’s mechanical, so it’s led to him really struggling with his fastball command and finding that fastball command, and even though at one point I think at one point tonight he was over two-to-one strikes to balls, it was still, you could tell he was really struggling to find yang fastball command and if you don’t have that, you’re going to be in trouble,” Boone said.
Perhaps it’s tougher for a younger pitcher to make the necessary adjustments.
“I think it’s been a little bit of a struggle for him, no doubt,” Boone said. “These last few outings kind of righting the ship a little bit. To his credit, these last few stars where he has struggled early, he has at least rained it in enough to be competitive but it is something certainly been a struggle for him.”
This only adds fuel to the fire that the Yankees need to make a move for another starting pitcher. Combined with Boston’s win over Detroit, New York fell 5.5 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East race.
And if the Yankees either come back to win the division or win the Wild Card Game to make the ALDS, who are the four starters in that playoff rotation?
Cy Young candidate Luis Severino is one. Masahiro Tanaka would be another, although his health can’t be guaranteed (which is true for anybody). CC Sabathia can be trusted but for how many innings per start? And who’s your number four? Confidence must be waning in Sonny Gray. Jordan Montgomery is injured and not returning. Cessa? Jonathan Loaisiga?
German’s short outing might have put a little more pressure on Brian Cashman to add a starter.