HOUSTON — Any thought that Domingo German would slide in seamlessly and replace Luis Severino in the Yankee rotation was dashed on Thursday night, when the right-hander got knocked around for five runs in three innings in a 7-5 loss to Houston in the nightcap of the Astros’ sweep of a split doubleheader at Minute Maid Park.
It came with Severino still shut down with a strained lat and other cracks showing in the rotation toward the end of the season’s first half, as Jameson Taillon and Nestor Cortes suffered some shaky outings before the break.
Asked if German would remain in the rotation, manager Aaron Boone said, “We’ll see.”
German, out since the spring with right shoulder impingement, allowed four straight base runners — including back-to-back homers by Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman — with two outs in the bottom of the first inning.
“There was some good in there, but he made some mistakes,’’ said Boone, pointing mostly — as catcher Kyle Higashioka did — to a two-strike mistake to Alvarez.
“He was a little in and out today,’’ Boone said.
Domingo German allowed five earned runs in his season debut. USA TODAY SportsGerman started because the Yankees opted to give Taillon an extra day’s rest coming out of the break, so he’ll pitch Friday night in Baltimore.
Unlike most of their decisions in the first half, this one did not work out for the Yankees.
Afterward, Boone said he did not second-guess the move.
“He’s been out for a while and unfortunately, that first start was against one of the best teams in the league,’’ Higashioka said. “You play the hand you’re dealt and he battled through three innings as best he could.”
With Gerrit Cole going Saturday, Cortes will make his first start since his All-Star appearance on Sunday.
The rotation ended the first half with a 3.20 ERA, which, according to Elias Sports Bureau, matched the franchise’s lowest at the break since 1973.
To make room on the roster for German, Ryan Weber was designated for assignment on Thursday.
Clarke Schmidt and JP Sears could also make starts in the second half, but the uncertainty is among the reasons the Yankees are one of many teams interested in Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo, who is almost certain to be moved by the Aug. 2 trade deadline.
