Former Yankees Pitcher Pursued by Club Rivals

As the New York Yankees try to upgrade their pitching staff this offseason, one of their former pitchers could face them in the division. Right-handed pitcher Domingo Germán has met with three organizations, including two AL East rivals, the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles, according to MLB insider Mike Rodriguez. The former Yankee right-hander visited with the San Diego Padres for the third time.

Both the Red Sox and the Orioles require pitching assistance. Boston is so desperate for pitching that they sold Alex Verdugo to New York earlier this offseason for three right-handed pitchers, a remarkable transaction between two bitter rivals. The Orioles’ pitching issues have also been well-documented, and were primarily to blame for their early playoff elimination after winning the AL East in 2023; they also lost starting pitcher Jack Flaherty to the Detroit Tigers on December 16. Germán was placed on waivers by the Yankees on November 2, and he elected free agency four days later. This concluded a six-season stint in the Bronx in which the 31-year-old compiled a 31-28 record, a 4.41 ERA, and 543 strikeouts while struggling with a variety of injuries.

Germán’s career with the Yankees included an 18-4 record and 153 strikeouts against 39 walks in 2019, as well as pitching the 24th perfect game in MLB history against the Oakland Athletics on June 28, 2023. The latter accomplishment will be acknowledged during the Caribbean Series in Miami in February. Germán, on the other hand, was continuously embroiled in controversy during his tenure in the Bronx, including an 81-game ban for domestic violence in 2019 and being placed on the Restricted List to obtain treatment for alcohol abuse in August 2023, both of which ruined his respective seasons. The latter episode, which entailed a drunken clubhouse outburst, was the final straw for the Yankees, leading to his departure three months later.

The Yankees won’t miss Germán because his inconsistent play wasn’t worth the burden of his off-field issues, but facing him in the AL East would be an interesting, if not terrifying, scenario.