Domingo German

New York Yankees setting sights on Nationals star Max Scherzer?

by
Could the New York Yankees pursue Max Scherzer in a trade?

The New York Yankees have a pitching problem, and it’s not just their bullpen that has struggled as of late, it’s the starters as well. Masahiro Tanaka has lost touch of his renowned splitter, James Paxton has been playing through a knee injury, CC Sabathia has inflammation in his knee, and Domingo German was placed on the 10-day injured list.

Again, the Yankees can’t catch a break with the injury bug, and it may force their hand as we approach the trade deadline. Losing out on former Cy Young award winner Dallas Keuchel certainly hurt, but rumors have stated the Bombers might be looking into a potential trade for Nationals star pitcher, Max Scherzer.

It’s possible the New York Yankees pursue Scherzer:

Considering the fact that Nationals are sub-.500, it makes sense that they would be open to trading the pitcher. The Yanks have one of the best youth systems in baseball, and they have plenty of resources to push a deal through.

The 12-year veteran is 4-5 on the season but is pitching 2.83 with little run support. Last year, he earned an astounding 18 total wins with a 2.53 ERA. There’s no question he’s a premium talent player, my concern is his price tag.

[su_posts template=”templates/teaser-loop.php” posts_per_page=”3″ tax_term=”1622326″ order=”desc”]

The Nationals might ask too much from the Yanks for their ace, but it’s coming to a point where the Yankees are losing their leverage as the starting rotation is running thin. It will take several months before the regular starters are back in their normal slots, but it seems as if Brian Cashman believes they can weather the storm.

Theoretically, the Yankees just need to make the playoffs, and they’re seemingly on track at the moment. Not paying top-dollar for a quality pitcher can be justified if they continue to win a majority of games. The problem is – even run support can’t supplement bad pitching at times.

 

New York Yankees: Domingo German To The IL

by
New York Yankees, Domingo German

The New York Yankees announced on Sunday morning that starting pitcher Domingo German will be heading to the IL with a hip flexor strain.

It kinda makes sense

Domingo German told the team about his hip pain on Saturday after playing long toss, and being in a lot of pain. He said that he has been in pain since his start against the Royals last road trip, but continued to pitch through.

And it makes sense because the game against the Royals was the first in a stretch of three poor starts.

German is 9-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) and 70 innings. His nine wins currently lead the American League.

Time for a new pitcher

Though German believes he won’t be out for long, it’s time for the Yankees to snag a starting pitcher. After missing out on the Dallas Keuchel sweepstakes, the team will have to trade for a pitcher. Clint Frazier could be a guy going the other way in a deal.

Guys like Madison Bumgarner of the Giants, Marcus Stroman of the Blue Jays, and Mike Minor of the Rangers are possible targets. The Yankees don’t need an ace, they just need a guy to plug into the middle of the rotation.

However, to counter that, Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino should be healthy and ready to pitch down the stretch for the Yankees, giving the team some fresh pitching. Once Montgomery is ready, he will likely see a long relief spot out of the bullpen until the season concludes, hopefully replacing Luis Cessa.

Though German believes he won’t miss much time, the Yankees need to finally pull the plug and snag a starter.

 

New York Yankees: Domingo German Struggles In Second Straight Start

by
New York Yankees, Domingo German

For his second straight outing, New York Yankees starting pitcher Domingo German had a rough go of things on the hill, this time against the Boston Red Sox. On Sunday against the Royals, he went five innings and got a no decision. However, on Saturday, he didn’t even make it through four innings.

All a matter of location

We all know that Domingo German has killer stuff, it’s just a matter on if he can locate it.

On Saturday against the Red Sox, German went 3 and 2/3 innings, giving up three runs off of six hits and two walks, also registering eight strikeouts.

That stat-line just proves that it’s all location. He only got 11 outs on the mound, and eight were via the strikeout.

Now lets take a look at a few different at-bats. To lead off the top of the fourth inning, German was facing Xander Bogaerts and threw a change-up to him on a 1-1 count. Because change-ups are basically slower fastballs that break a bit, you want to keep the ball low in the zone. German didn’t, and instead left it middle of the zone and the result was a shot to left field.

Now, a little earlier in the game, Brock Holt singled on an 0-1 fastball right down the middle. The ball was intended to be down and in, and it just didn’t go as in as it was supposed to.

And, something German had trouble with was pitching to the bottom of the order. Both Holt and Sandy Leon got two hits off of German, and both batters were hitting under .200 entering the game.

We all know that Domingo German can be a lights out pitcher, he just needs to locate the ball better to have some more of the success he was having early in the season.

 

New York Yankees Begin Crucial Weekend Series Against Red Sox

by
New York Yankees, J.A. Happ

The most famous rivalry in baseball has a bit more importance this weekend.

The New York Yankees are red hot, while the Red Sox are starting to win enough games to get back in contention. Dependent on weather the Red Sox win on Wednesday against the Indians or not, the Yankees will be either 6.5 or 7.5 games ahead of them.

The Red Sox however are still not the closest team to the Yankees. If Tampa beats the Blue Jays on Wednesday, they will be just a game behind the Yankees.

The Yankees are 2-0 in the season series, and wins this weekend will mean more than just bragging rights in the rivalry. A sweep could put the Yankees up to 11 games ahead of the Red Sox, and it would be the largest division lead over them in years.

Tampa has a series with the best team in baseball, the Minnesota Twins this weekend. The Yankees could even grow their lead on them, too.

Who gets the ball?

Thursday’s and Sunday’s pitchers are set in stone for the Yankees. JA Happ will pitch Thursday against Chris Sale, and CC Sabathia will be activated from the IL and will pitch Sunday against David Price.

Eduardo Rodriguez will pitch Friday and Rick Porcello will pitch Saturday for the Red Sox. For the Yankees, Domingo German will pitch one day, while the other day will be a bullpen game.

If Happ can give the Yankees distance on Thursday, the bullpen game will be on Friday. In the case that he can’t, then the bullpen game would be on Saturday and German would throw on Friday. If German pitches on Saturday, he will be going on an extra day of rest. That would be the A plan for the Yankees.

On the other side of the plate, Gary Sanchez should be rested and ready to catch all four games this weekend. He sat Thursday to rest and give Austin Romine a few at-bats.

And, the high leverage bullpen guys should be well rested for Thursday. Adam Ottavino pitched one inning on Wednesday, and Jonathan Holder pitched two.

The Yankees will look to have a big weekend to extend their division lead, as well as bragging rights in the greatest rivalry in sports.

New York Yankees: Domingo German With A Rare Bad Start

by
New York Yankees, Domingo German

The New York Yankees ended their seven game winning streak on Sunday with an 8-7 loss to the Royals. Why? Domingo German had his first bad start of the season.

But, trailing 7-1, the Yankees came back to tie it at seven before Royals right fielder Whit Merrifield walked it off with a chopper over Gio Urshela’s head.

Can’t keep it in the park

German had good stuff on Sunday, he just didn’t have enough control. He ended up with 13 swings and misses. Over his five innings of work, he gave up seven runs off of nine hits.

The main problem was that he allowed four home runs. Martin Maldonado opened the Royals scoring with a three run jack in the second.

Two innings later, Ryan O’Hearn added one on a solo shot. Then in the fifth, Hunter Dozier and Jorge Soler hit back-to-back solo home runs.

He must bounce back

For German, it’s so crucial that he bounces back in his next start.

It’s even more important since his next start will be against the Boston Red Sox. He will pitch on Friday or Saturday dependent on where and when James Paxton rejoins the Yankee rotation.

Overall, we shouldn’t complain about one bad start from Domingo. He’s been magnificent for the Yankees this year, and he will continue to be a force on the bump.

 

 

New York Yankees Rained Out Against Royals

by
New York Yankees, Aaron Boone

Game one of a three game set with the Kansas City Royals has been rained out for the New York Yankees, and the teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday.

The game was called due to rain in the forecast. The Yankees were actually taking batting practice with no rain when the game was called.

Saturday’s games will be on a day-night doubleheader schedule. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05PM (ET) for game one, and 8:05PM (ET) for game two. Reminder, Kansas City is in the central time zone, throwing off start times in the east coast.

Who will pitch this weekend?

JA Happ will be pitching the afternoon game Saturday, while Domingo German will pitch on Sunday.

Saturday evening’s starting pitcher has not yet been released. There is speculation that it could potentially be Chance Adams. Adams was scheduled to start Friday night for the Railriders, and was scratched minutes prior to first pitch. He would be the 26th man.

The other option would be doing a bullpen game. Since Thursday’s game was in the afternoon, the bullpen will be fully rested and could do the bullpen game if needed. The only fatigue would be from the afternoon game, unless you pitch Happ in the evening and do the bullpen game in the afternoon.

If a bullpen game would be in order, it would likely still be Chad Green opening. Luis Cessa would likely follow, or Adams if it indeed is him that is the 26th man.

No matter who ends up pitching, the Yankees need to escape Kansas City with a sweep before a big homestand that includes the Boston Red Sox.

New York Yankees: Domingo German Is Here To Stay

by
New York Yankees, Domingo German

When the New York Yankees put Domingo German in the starting rotation due to injuries, they had no idea that he would be this effective.

The 26 year old righty out of the Dominican Republic sits at 6-1 and is among AL leaders in wins and ERA. He’s got at a 2.35 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP.

The Yankees are consistently getting six innings out of him per start, which helps reduce bullpen use.

Sunday proved that he can pitch against good teams

Believe it or not, Sunday’s start against the Twins was his first start against a team over .500, and you wouldn’t even know it.

German tore-up the red-hot Twins, currently one of the best teams in baseball.

Over 6 and 2/3 innings, German gave up just four hits and a run, but walked three while striking out seven. He got first-pitch strikes to 15 of the 27 batters he faced. He worked 10 fly-balls compared to just three ground-balls.

Though he has had a ton of success, the walk numbers are still a bit high, averaging about two a game.

German is also throwing a lot of strikes despite the highish walk numbers. 69 of his 108 pitches on Sunday were for strikes, and 10 were swings and misses.

What should happen once Severino comes back

Aaron Boone confirmed recently that Luis Severino wouldn’t return before the all-star break, meaning German will be in the rotation for a while longer. But once Sevy comes back, what will happen?

If German keeps throwing the way he is, he will stay in the rotation. A move to the bullpen would likely be between CC Sabathia and JA Happ.

If Happ keeps struggling, it could be him that goes to the bullpen. If he manages to turn it around, it could be CC due to his reduced stamina from age.

But either way, you would have two starters in the bullpen, the other being Luis Cessa. Remember, Cessa is out of options, meaning he would have to clear waivers to go to AAA.

Would the Yankees want to take that chance? I certainly would, but the front office really likes Cessa.

If they kept two starters in the bullpen, maybe you do something where Chad Green stays with Scranton until September, then call him up for the final month and the postseason. After CC retires, move Green back into a bullpen spot for 2020, with the rotation being: Severino, Tanaka, Paxton, Happ, German.

But then you would have a healthy Jordan Montgomery, but that’s a whole nother story.

German has been fantastic so far in 2019, and deserves a secure spot in the rotation now and in the future.

Series Preview: New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

by
New York Yankees, Luke Voit

The New York Yankees will head home to the Bronx following a lengthy west coast trip,  finishing 6-3 on the week. They will take on a strong Minnesota Twins team, who are currently 18-10 and are leading the AL Central. Having dropped the last two games, the Bronx Bombers look for another series win.

Game One: James Paxton vs. Kyle Gibson

James Paxton is coming off a three-game winning streak, with his last outing being against the San Francisco Giants. Paxton went 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs and fanned eight. The strikeout count has been high for the Yankees’ left-hander, as he tied the club’s record of 12 strikeouts in consecutive outings. Paxton currently has 51 strikeouts on the season. The Twins are throwing RHP Kyle Gibson, credited with a 4.88 ERA on the year. After starting with a 7.36 ERA, Gibson has settled down; only allowing three earned runs in his past two outings.

Game Two: J.A. Happ and Jake Odorizzi

J.A. Happ‘s start to the season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. A recurring theme has been apparent in each of his outings, where he has allowed runs in the early innings of the game and then settling in through the later innings. Yankees’ offense has helped Happ, as they been able to come back from run deficits. Regardless of Happ’s early struggles, his most recent outing against the San Francisco Giants was dominate. Going the distance (7.0 IP), Happ allowed five hits and no earned runs.  Twins’ crafty RHP, Jake Odorizzi, is coming off a strong outing against the Houston Astros, where he outdueled Astros’ ace, Justin Verlander. Odorizzi, commanding his slider and cutter, was able to shut down the Astros offense in only 86 pitches.

[su_posts template=”templates/teaser-loop.php” posts_per_page=”3″ order=”desc”]

Game Three: Domingo German and Michael Pineda

Game three will be one of the most anticipated games this series. Domingo German, who has stepped up in Luis Severino‘s absence due to injury, has been everything the Yankees needed. Taking the ace role, German has a 5-1 record with a 2.56 ERA. Ex-Yankee, Michael Pineda will be taking the mound for the Twins. Yankee fans remember Pineda’s dominance in the Bronx, as he was considered the ace of the pitching staff during the 2014 season. This season, Pineda has struggled. Coming off a two-game losing streak, Pineda is credited with a 6.21 ERA in 29.0 innings pitched.

Players to watch

Yankees’ hitter Luke Voit poises a threat at the plate, as he is coming off a hot week on the west coast. In the last seven days, Voit batted .435 with seven RBIs and two home runs. Twins’ shortstop Eddie Rosario looks to do damage at the plate, as he leads the team in home runs (11).

New York Yankees Beat The Giants 11-5-But At A Cost

by
New York Yankees, Gio Urshela

The New York Yankees took down the San Francisco Giants 11-5 for a three game sweep, but it came at a cost. Gio Urshela and DJ LeMahieu were both removed with injuries.

The bats came out again

The Yankee bats had another big afternoon, tallying 14 hits led by Gary Sanchez and Luke Voit.

Voit had three hits and two RBIs. He is batting over .400 on this west coast swing, with two games left before going east.

Gary Sanchez had a hit and three RBIs, clearing the wall in left by a mile, almost going out of the stadium for a two-run shot.

Thairo Estrada added two hits along with Gleyber Torres and Urshela. Nine of the 13 Yankees that had an at-bat got a hit. With the injuries, JA Happ was actually forced to pinch-hit. He grounded out, but hit it hard.

Injury issues

DJ LeMahieu was removed early on with knee tightness that started on Friday. It got a bit tighter during the game, and with an off-day on Monday, Aaron Boone didn’t want to take any chances. Results came back relatively clean, just inflammation.

Gio Urshela was hit by a pitch in the wrist towards the middle of the game. He was also removed as a precaution, and his results came back clean.

One bad inning

Overall, Domingo German had a good start, but had one bad inning.

He gave up four runs, all in the sixth inning off a series of RBI singles and an RBI double. The sixth was his final inning, giving up a total of five hits.

German struck out four, walking just one. He threw first-pitch strikes to 13 of the 25 batters he faced, getting eight swings and misses, while working eight fly-balls and seven ground-balls.

Jonathan Holder and Tommy Kahnle worked scoreless relief innings, and Joe Harvey gave up one run in the ninth. Holder seems to be pitching better in his last few appearances.

After an off-day on Monday, the Yankees travel down to Arizona for some more inter-league baseball on Tuesday. Game one begins at 9:40PM (ET) on YES and Fox Sports Go. CC Sabathia gets the ball for the Yankees against Merrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks.

Voit’s Two Home Runs Lead New York Yankees Past Angels

by
New York Yankees, Luke Voit

Luke Voit had two solo home runs to extend his hitting streak to 10 games and his on-base streak to 34 games as the New York Yankees took down the Angels 7-5.

Milestones for the young fellas

Mike Ford and Thairo Estrada each had milestones at the plate on Tuesday.

Ford hit his first career home run in the fifth, over the high wall in right-center at Angel Stadium. Estrada collected the first two hits of his career, going 2-for-4.

Despite no RBI’s, Brett Gardner went off for a huge four hit night. His first hit came in the third inning, a triple to right-center. In the fifth, he singled to left before doubling to left-center in the seventh. In his final at-bat, he was just a home run away from the cycle, but instead singled for a second time.

Gleyber Torres also added two hits and an RBI, and Mike Tauchman and Tyler Wade each had a hit.

Green needs to go

Chad Green is struggling. A lot.

He managed to load the bases, then proceeded to give up a grand slam on a change-up right down the middle to Justin Bour. His ERA is now 16.43. Green needs to work out his problems in AAA, because he keeps getting put in low-leverage situations then quickly makes them high-leverage situations b y giving up runs. He continues to have an inability of getting outs.

Luis Cessa relieved Green and pitched the remainder of the eighth scoreless, and Zack Britton pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save of the year.

Chad Green came in for German, after he pitched 6 and 2/3 great innings.

He gave up just four hits and walked one, giving up a lone run. He threw 99 pitches and struck out five, throwing first pitch strikes to 14 of the 25 batters he faced.

German got nine swings and misses, and worked seven ground-balls and eight fly-balls. The young right-hander picked up his fourth win of the season, and sits near the top of the American League in ERA at 1.75.

Jonathan Loaisiga was brought up Monday night and was expected to start Tuesday, but was pushed back and will start on Wednesday.  Felix Pena will likely start for the Angels. Game time is at 10:05PM (ET) on MLB Network, YES, and Fox Sports Go.