Yankees' Domingo German Deals With Controversy, Strikes Out Career High 11

It was an eventful, but very productive day for Yankees starting pitcher Domingo German.

The Yankee righty, who struggled in his first two starts, had one of the best games of his career in a 6-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. He pitched 5.1 perfect innings and punched out 11 (a career best), on his way to 6.1 innings of one-run ball. German allowed only three hits and no walks.

Sabado Domingo. pic.twitter.com/NUeLXbHywM
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 15, 2023

Despite the dominance, controversy arose in the top of the fourth inning when German was under a lengthy investigation by the umpires, regarding potential use of illegal substances. Ultimately, the umpires ruled German was clean, but an enraged Rocco Baldelli (the Twins manager) was subsequently ejected after arguing with the crew.

Rocco Baldelli has been ejected. https://t.co/TYrRiwkOmI
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) April 15, 2023

Yankees manager Aaron Boone cleared things up during the postgame. Apparently, German had too much rosin (a legal substance, but has limitations of its use) on his hands. “It was enough to raise a flag for him,” Boone said to the media.

Aaron Boone said that Domingo German had too much rosin on his hands, which is why the umpires told him to wash his hands. “It was enough to raise a flag for him.”
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) April 15, 2023

German set the tone for his start very early. In the top of the first, after striking out Edouard Julien, he needed to face Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton, two of the game’s most talented players. Correa, in particular, has killed the Yankees in the first two games of this four-game set in the Bronx, highlighted by a decisive two-run double in the eighth inning of Game 2. But German wasn’t intimidated and struck out both Correa and Buxton on four pitches to strike out the side.

Striking out the side to start us off 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cSHAzjRpAl
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 15, 2023

From there, German completely dominated the Twins’ lineup. He struck out Trevor Larnach for his fourth straight punch out to begin the game, and ended the inning by inducing Jose Miranda and Donovan Solano to hit grounders to Anthony Volpe.

After receiving some run support via a two-run home run by Kyle Higashioka, German got two more strikeouts in the third inning, fanning Max Kepler and Michael A. Taylor.

The Yankees scored another run in the bottom of the third on an Anthony Rizzo solo shot, but it took a while for the fourth inning to begin. German panicked during the on-field discussion with the umpires, as he was worried about a possible ejection. According to German, he prefers to use another rosin bag in the dugout before his half-inning begins, which drew suspicion.

Nonetheless, German stayed in the game and continued to carve up the Twins. He struck out Correa and Buxton again in the fourth, and struck out Larnach and Miranda in the fifth to push his strikeout total to 10, matching his career-best. The Twins finally got their first baserunners off German in the sixth, when Christian Vazquez and Taylor hit back-to-back singles with one out; German still buckled down, though, and retired Julien and Correa to end the threat.

After striking out Buxton (for the third time) to begin the seventh, German set a new personal best with 11 strikeouts. He’d only face one more batter, though, as he was taken out after surrendering a double to Larnach. Michael King would allow the run to score, but the Yankees would eventually cruise to victory, as German picked up his first win of the season.

A career-high 11 Ks for Domingo 🔥 pic.twitter.com/F4IcBeZPfH
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 15, 2023

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