What the Yankees are saying about Domingo German being placed on restricted list
NEW YORK – Just before Wednesday night’s game, general manager Brian Cashman entered the Yankees clubhouse and addressed the team about Domingo German’s status.
Having voluntarily agreed to inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse, German would not pitch again this season.
“In some way, this goes back years,’’ said manager Aaron Boone, referencing an incident of domestic violence in 2019 that led to MLB’s 81-game suspension of German.
“I think all of us have someone in our life that we can relate to, that it’s always an ongoing battle’’ with alcohol, Boone said.
An unspecified Tuesday incident involving German had raised enough alarms that a meeting was held at Yankee Stadium, attended by Cashman, shortly after the 6 p.m. MLB trade deadline.
Speaking after the Yankees’ 7-2 win Wednesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays, Giancarlo Stanton said it was “just a tough situation,’’ but that he “kind of understood’’ why German was on the restricted list and submitted to treatment.
“You’re aware of (what occurred Tuesday). You’re not going to get any details from me,’’ said Stanton, who smashed a two-run homer in a five-run third inning.
Yankees' emotional pregame briefing on Domingo German
Prior to Stanton’s three-run homer, Anthony Volpe belted a two-run shot off Rays lefty starter Shane McLanahan (11-2).
After the game, McLanahan – who yielded five runs in four innings – was sent back to Florida for tests, having experienced forearm tightness Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Gerrit Cole (10-2) shrugged off a monstrous, two-run homer in the first by Wander Franco.
Relying more on his curveball and cutter, Cole lasted seven innings, received some fine outfield defense by Harrison Bader and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and helped the Yanks snap a three-game losing streak.
But it wasn’t a normal pregame by any stretch, with Cole mentioning the emotional situation involving German.
“It just affects you as a human being,'' said Cole. "You care about your teammates and your teammates families.
“(It’s) a sad situation and you just hope for the best for Domingo,’’ Cole said of “an element besides sports where things are bigger than that.’’
Yankees "want the best'' for Domingo German
In his pregame media address, Cashman mentioned German’s issue with alcohol as “something he’s had to deal with in the past,’’ during his time with the Yankees.
Echoing the GM’s sentiment, Boone said that German’s agreement to seek treatment was an important first step.
“We want the best for the person going through a difficult time,’’ Boone said.
Boone did not speak Wednesday with German. There was nothing in German’s recent behavior that suggested something might be amiss prior to Tuesday.
“In a lot of ways, he’s been a good citizen…to where that hasn’t come into play, affecting his job,’’ Boone said of German since his previous MLB suspension.
That contributed to making Wednesday a “very difficult’’ day, “because he is a sweetheart of a guy,’’ Boone said.
“So, when you see something that certainly has now affected his livelihood, and more importantly, his life, and you know how serious it is, it is very sad for someone that’s very talented.’’
Boone added that his “biggest takeaway’’ was to “just hope and pray that he gets the right kind of help that truly gets him going in the right direction for the rest of his life.’’
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Domingo German: Yankees react to alcohol treatment news
