Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German wasn’t likely to play during the 2020 regular season with 63 games remaining on his suspension under MLB‘s domestic violence policy.
Now it appears German may not be returning to the game at all, announcing in a cryptic Instagram post Friday that he has “left baseball”:
According to Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News, the Yankees haven’t filed an official transaction to MLB regarding German’s status.
At the time German posted his announcement, New York was in the midst of an intrasquad game at Yankee Stadium.
Manager Aaron Boone had no information on the situation following the exhibition.
The 27-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic spent three seasons with Yankees after coming up through the organization following a 2014 trade from the Miami Marlins.
German had his most successful campaign in 2019, recording an 18-4 record with a 4.03 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 153 strikeouts and 39 walks in 143 innings. His season was cut short in September, however, after he allegedly slapped his girlfriend during an argument. According to Bob Klapisch of the New York Times, an official from the commissioner’s office witnessed the slap.
MLB placed him on administrative leave Sept. 19, making him ineligible for the postseason. In January, the league handed him an 81-game suspension for violating its domestic violence policy. The suspension included the games he missed at the end of the 2019 season.
The Yankees issued a statement on his suspension following MLB’s ruling:
“We remain steadfast in our support of Major League Baseball’s investigative process and the disciplinary action taken regarding Domingo German. Domestic violence—in any form—is a gravely serious matter that affects every segment of our society. Major League Baseball has taken the lead in our industry to make domestic violence awareness and prevention a priority, and we will continue to back those efforts. We are encouraged by Domingo’s acceptance of his discipline, and we sincerely hope this indicates a commitment to making a meaningful and positive change in his personal conduct.”
German could’ve been available for the Yankees if the team qualified for the 2020 postseason, but with no minor league play to help him prepare, it may have been difficult for him to rejoin the club.
The pitcher has three years of arbitration left on his contract before he’s able to become an unrestricted free agent in 2024, per Spotrac.