Domingo German wasn’t good.
That will be expected over the 162-game haul. German will be better, but don’t take a 1-2 start for granted.
That may have been expected for a pitcher who hadn’t taken the mound in 564 days, mainly due to a suspension due to domestic violence.
However, it wasn’t expected after German shined during spring training in which he gave up two runs in 13 innings.
Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, German gave up two homers and three runs in three innings over 58 pitches, as the Yankees fell, 3-1, to Toronto in the final game of an opening season, three-game set.
Rookie Michael King was able to silence the Blue Jays’ bats, as he was brilliant over six innings, allowing just one hit with three strikeouts and one walk over the final six innings.
Saturday in the Yanks’ 5-3 win, the bullpen –without Aroldis Chapman and Zack Britton — kept Toronto at bay over five innings to help savage a 5-3 win and four effective innings from Cory Kluber.
In three games, the Yankees’ pitching has basically silenced their critics with strong starts from Kluber and Garrit Cole, and a shutdown from the bullpen. Both were question marks in their own rights starting the season.
Now, it is on the offense.
Sunday afternoon, the Bronx Bombers created only five hits against Toronto starter T.J. Zeuch and a host of relievers. They were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position,and the final 11 batters didn’t have a hit.
Through three games, the Yanks are hitting .243 as a team with only Gary Sanchez providing the highlights with a pair of homers in the first two games.
Clint Frazier, who was under the microscope after finally being handed the left field job, is off to a .444 start and has been a spark plug offensively. On the other hand, Giancarlo Stanton is hitless in eight at-bats with three strikeouts.
Yes, it is only three games, and the Yanks should be there in the end, barring injuries, of course.
However, games still count in April, and these are the ones that haunt teams.
The first-place Baltimore Orioles – who swept the Red Sox at Fenway — invade the Stadium for a three-game series beginning Monday.
The Yanks then hit the road for a weekend in Tampa and then head to Toronto for a three-game rematch.
The arms are there, and the bats need to be.
Even in a 162-game season, it is never too early.