Yankees Pitcher Hit With 10-Game Suspension

 

“He went over the line that the umpires deemed, and now we’ve got to live with the consequences of that.” That was New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone describing his reaction to the 10-game suspension just handed down to starting pitcher Domingo German. 

Domingo Germán will be suspended for 10 games and fined an undisclosed amount for violating the the prohibition on foreign substances pic.twitter.com/u5Y5Z4c96w

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) May 17, 2023

German was ejected during the Yankees game at Rogers Centre with the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday night for having an illegal substance, and for having, as umpire James Hoye described, “the stickiest hand I’ve ever felt.” 

After a follow-up investigation by MLB on Wednesday, they confirmed the umpires' actions, and announced later in the day an automatic 10-game suspension for German.

Yankees pitcher Domingo German has been thrown out of the game after a substance check

(via @Sportsnet)pic.twitter.com/5B2mMZydg2

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 17, 2023

Incredibly, it was just over a month ago that Germán was closely examined for excess sticky stuff on his hand—by this very same umpiring crew—in a start vs. the Minnesota Twins, but was allowed to continue after a warning and being forced to wash his hands. 

He had to know that he'd be on these umpires' radars going forward, yet he went ahead and did... whatever it is that he did. The exact substance he was caught with hasn't been announced (or determined).

Domingo German released this statement following his 10-game suspension after officials deemed him to have an “extremely sticky” substance on his right hand against the Blue Jays on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/qt1HZahYPl

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 18, 2023

German released a statement Wednesday night after learning of the suspension, saying he's declining to appeal because he didn't think he had a chance of being successful and the Yankees wanted him to serve it and get it over with.

Germán had been one of the Yankees’ top starters this month with a 1.64 ERA across four May starts.

The whole sticky substance cheating mess takes the Blue Jays-Yankees rivalry to even greater heights, as this all comes just one game after the Jays seemingly accused Aaron Judge of cheating for his side-eye glance towards... somewhere... just before launching a 462-foot home run. 

The Bronx Bombers have been in dire straights in the rotation, with Carlos Rodon and Frankie Montas yet to pitch this season and still many weeks away. Luis Severino, however, will return this week to make his first start of the year.  

Photo: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports