After young Deivi dazzles, German makes his case
TAMPA — In the battle for a rotation spot, Domingo German continued to make a strong case. The right-hander, who missed the entire 2020 season serving a suspension under the MLB/MLBPA joint domestic violence policy, threw three scoreless innings, striking out three and allowing one hit on Wednesday night.
He knows he is in a battle for a spot in the rotation with Deivi Garcia.
“As I see it everything is a competition,” German said through translator Marlon Abreu. “I have a high level.”
Now the Yankees have to find a way to fill the void left by Britton for a few months. While Britton was pretty exclusively a set-up man for Aroldis Chapman, Aaron Boone said now the sixth, seventh and the eighth innings will be a more fluid situation.
“We’ll treat that probably more on a matchup basis. Obviously, Chappy will close and then whether it’s (Justin) Wilson or (Darren) O’Day, (Chad Green) or other guys that step up and emerge,” the Yankees manager said. “Otherwise, it will probably be more matchup related. What do we have available on a given really good teammates here. They’re also competing for a spot but for me, it’s really just to do my job and you know, let the front office decide.”
Garcia was really good Tuesday. The young Yankees righthander laid down three scoreless innings with five strikeouts against the Tigers. The 21-year old upped the ante for Wednesday night, when German was trying to hold serve in the matchup for that fifth starter spot.
On Sunday, during the YES broadcast, Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake let it slip, however, that German is coming into this competition with a slight edge. Last season, the weird 2020 COVID-shortened, 60-game schedule, Garcia, Clarke Schmidt, Mike King and Nick Nelson were rushed into big league service because of injuries to Luis Severino and James Paxton and German’s 81-game suspension.
Blake admitted they weren’t quite ready.
“I think there are some things just from a development standpoint that we want to make sure that Deivi and Mike and Nelson and some of these guys kind of get to,” Blake said. “Obviously, German, having his 2019 performance, he’s established himself at the major-league level.”