September 29, 2024

Pirates agree to MiLB deal with Domingo German with a team option for 2025

Domingo German, the Yankees' Surprising Ace, Has an Ideally Flawed Mentor -  The New York Times

Various reports have the Buccos signing German.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a Minor League deal with RHP Domingo German with a team option for 2025.

Mike Rodriguez was the first to report a deal but reported it as a $1.5 million contract with a mutual option. Later reports clarified that the deal was for $1.25 million and includes performance bonuses as well as a team option for 2025 worth $2.25 million along with more performance bonuses.

The now 31-year-old German spent parts of six tumultuous seasons with the New York Yankees. In 112 games and 89 games started German pitched 522.1 innings with a 4.41 ERA.

At the end of the 2019, German was suspended for 81-games under MLB’s joint domestic violence policy and sat out the entire COVID shortened 2020 campaign for an incident where he publicly slapped his then girlfriend and became increasingly violent while intoxicated at an event hosted by then teammate CC Sabathia. His girlfriend, whom he later married and shares three children with, hid in a locked room before being picked up by the wife of another teammate.

In 20 games with 19 starts in 2023, German went 108.2 frames with a 4.56 ERA, striking out 114.

This past May he was ejected from a game and automatically suspended 10 games for violating MLB’s foreign substance policy.

New York Yankees part ways with pitcher Domingo Germán five months after he  threw a perfect game - Yahoo Sports

On June 26 in Oakland against the Athletics, German threw a 99-pitch perfect game. the 24th in MLB history and the first since Felix Hernandez’s perfecto in 2012.

While the perfect game was undoubtedly the high point of his season, the unquestioned low point came on August 1. German entered the clubhouse intoxicated and became confrontational with teammates and manager Aaron Boone, flipping a couch and smashing a TV before being restrained by teammates in a sauna.

Afterwards, German agreed to submit to inpatient treatment for his alcohol abuse and was placed on the restricted list by the Yankees August 2.

The Pirates reportedly had conversations with German, other teams, league sources and his wife and before signing him to a deal.

Less than two weeks away from the Pirates heading to Miami for Opening Day, it seems unlikely that German would be able to ramp up in time.

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