Domingo Germán came out of nowhere to pitch the 24th perfect game in MLB history for the New York Yankees on June 28, 2023. His perfect game came against the woeful Oakland Athletics, striking out nine batters on 99 pitches. But just two months later, Germán was placed on MLB’s restricted list following a clubhouse incident. It wasn’t the first time Germán received discipline for poor behavior. He served an 81-game suspension due to violating MLB’s domestic violence policy.
After the Yankees released Germán, he signed a one-year, $1.25 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The right-hander is pitching at Triple-A Indianapolis but producing mediocre results.
Domingo Germán’s Downward Spiral
At this point in Germán’s career, it is safe to say the perfect game was the pinnacle. Almost two months after that start, Germán being placed on the restricted list was the final straw for the Yankees. Germán was receiving inpatient alcohol abuse treatment after destroying Yankee property in the clubhouse. By the end of the season, the rise and fall of Germán in New York was over. Even when he went on the open market, he received minimal interest until the Pirates came calling.
The right-hander had been preparing for the season in Florida over the past two months. Germán wasn’t baseball-ready for spring training and was moved to the FCL Pirates to begin the season. He made his first start of the season on May 19 for Low-A Bradenton, where he allowed one earned run in four innings.
Germán’s Mediocre Performance
The rest of the season has been much of the same for the Dominican native. Through nine minor league games, Germán is sporting a 5.44 ERA. After his first five games, his 7.97 ERA was a career-worst. Germán is averaging just under one strikeout per inning this season. This is a small dip from his MLB stats, where he averaged just over one strikeout per inning. It’s evident that Germán is chewing innings and that’s it.
Domingo Germán’s first 2 starts in AAA:
May 19th: May 25th:
— 5.0 IP — 5.1 IP
— 8 H — 6 H
— 6 R (4 ER) — 5 R (4 ER)
— 2 HR — 1 HB
— 3 K • 2 BB — 5 K • 4 BB#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/eAOYoHdsr6— SkenesMuse (@PaulSkenesMuse) May 30, 2024
Germán’s lifetime MLB stats without his 2019 season are more indicative of what Germán brings to the table. Through five seasons he carries a 13 and 24 win/loss record and an ERA over four. He has never started more than 20 games outside of 2019 and gives up a lot of barrels and hard hits. Germán has a solid chase and whiff rate but his average fastball velocity dipped all the way to 92 in 2023.
Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?
This offseason, the Pirates spent time meeting with and interviewing with Germán.
“We got to the point where we felt like we had satisfied two questions,” general manager Ben Cherrington said in March. “One, have we understood everything more clearly that has happened, including the incident in 2019 that led to his domestic violence suspension and also more recently the incident last summer that led to his release. We felt like we were more clear on everything that had happened in the past. And also more clear on the work that he’s doing to grow from that. The second question became, ‘Is he deserving of a chance with the Pirates? Are we the right organization to partner with him?’. Ultimately, I made the decision to make an offer.”
But is it worth the risk? Michael Plassmeyer, Eric Lauer, and Quinn Priester are just as good and a safer bet. Germán’s 2019 season and perfect game were outliers. Germán is nothing more than a below-average pitcher with mediocre stuff and lots of baggage.
Main Photo: © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
