The initial Domingo German Rotation Participation era for the Yankees has ended.
“We just optioned him,” manager Aaron Boone said.
That’ll do it.
The Mets made German — in his 13th major league start — the losing pitcher in their 7-5 Subway Series-opening victory over the Yankees on Friday in The Bronx. So after addressing the righty’s struggles with mechanics and fastball command, Boone announced the move that puts Luis Cessa back into the rotation while German returns to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“Definitely, it’s not what you want, right? You want to pitch up here,” German (2-6) said after the Mets went 5-for-16 against him in 3 ²/₃ innings. “At the same time I understand why. I’ve got to go down to Triple-A and work on certain things that I need to improve to help me get back on track.”
Cessa, who pitched six innings and gave up two hits while striking out nine for SWB, takes over German’s rotation spot in five days. The Yankees probably will summon a pitcher Saturday.
But it won’t be 22-year-old lefty Justus Sheffield, the top pitching prospect in the organization. At least it won’t be Sheffield this time. What does he need to do to earn the call?
“Just continue his development. In talking to player development and the front office, their evaluation of things, he’s certainly a guy that’s more and more in the conversation,” Boone said, “but I think they want him to get finished off down there and fine-tune some things. He’s had a very successful season. I think he’s gotten better. I think he’s very close to being an option.”
After all, there is an opening.
German had a dreadful start. The Mets slapped him around in the first inning, parlaying three doubles and a walk into three runs. Yoenis Cespedes, in his first game back since going on the disabled list on May 16, homered leading off the third. German had thrown five innings just once in his past five starts as his ERA swelled to 5.68.
“He’s really struggling mechanically. It’s led to him really struggling with his fastball command. If you don’t have that, you’re gonna be in trouble,” Boone said. “To his credit, these last few starts where he’s struggled early, he’s reined it in enough to be competitive.
“So he’s gonna work it out down there and hopefully get mechanically sound because I think everyone in this room has seen him be successful and what he can be when throwing his fastball for strikes. It’s a good time for him to go down and iron some things out.”
German acknowledged some “minor adjustments” he feels are necessary to help him “get back as soon as possible” to The Bronx.
“Up here, you have to keep making adjustments,” german said. “Hitters make adjustments and as a pitcher, you’ve also got to make adjustments.”
