German not retiring, apologizes for post

NEW YORK — Suspended Yankees pitcher Domingo German says he is not retiring from baseball and apologized for suggesting as much in an Instagram post a night earlier.

German, serving an 81game ban for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy last summer, posted Friday night words in Spanish that translated to, “I’ve left baseball. Thanks everyone.”

He wrote Saturday in Spanish and English that he was “very sorry for the unsettling post.”

“Baseball is my life and I promise I am not walking away,” he said.

German has 63 games left to serve and won’t play in 2020. The regular season is limited to 60 games this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 28- year- old righthander from the Dominican Republic sent the posts from Florida, where he is visiting his child.

“This past year has been very tough for my family and myself, for which I take full responsibility,” German wrote. “Not being with my teammates while they get ready for the season, knowing that I have let them down, has taken a toll on me and last night I let my emotions get the best of me.

“I am using this time to get stronger, become a better person and father, and I can only hope that I will get to join my teammates once again to make them proud,” German wrote. “Thank you to everyone, especially the Yankees organization, for their support. Please forgive me this mistake.”

German was the Yankees’ winningest pitcher last season before his ban began, going 18- 4 with a 4.03 ERA in 24 starts and three relief appearances.