Yankees Pitcher Domingo Germán to Miss Rest of Season for Alcohol Abuse Treatment
NEW YORK — Domingo Germán, pitcher for the New York Yankees, will be absent for the remainder of the season as he seeks inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse, announced general manager Brian Cashman on Wednesday.
To facilitate Germán’s treatment, the club has placed him on the restricted list during his time away.
Recognizing the importance of Germán’s health and well-being, the Yankees released a statement saying, “It is critical that Domingo completely focuses on addressing his health and well-being. We will respect his privacy as he begins this process.”
Speaking to the team prior to Wednesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium, Cashman revealed that alcohol abuse is not new for Germán. The club became aware of Germán’s issue before Tuesday’s game against the Rays.
Cashman emphasized the seriousness of alcohol abuse, stating, “Certainly, it’s a very serious issue that affects way too many people, unfortunately. Hopefully the steps that are being taken today will really benefit him for the remaining part of his life, because it’s a very serious problem that you have to address head-on.”
Contrary to speculation, Cashman clarified that Germán’s alcohol abuse treatment is unrelated to his recent discomfort near his right armpit, which caused him to be scratched from Monday’s scheduled start against the Rays. Germán later entered that game as a relief pitcher, delivering an outstanding performance of five scoreless innings in a 5-1 loss.
“That’s a completely separate issue,” Cashman affirmed. “Everything that was addressed has nothing to do with what we’re dealing with today, and was 100 percent accurate as conveyed by [manager Aaron] Boone. It had nothing to do with it.”
This is not the first time Germán has faced consequences for his actions. In September 2019, he received an unpaid 81-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s policy against domestic violence. Alongside the suspension, he was required to attend counseling. The punishment extended to cover 18 games throughout the 2019 regular season and postseason, encompassing the entirety of the pandemic-shortened 2020 regular season.
Germán temporarily announced his retirement during the summer of 2020, citing frustration with the inability to resume play. In May of this season, he was suspended for 10 games for violating MLB’s policy on grip-enhancing substances.
In the current season, Germán has recorded a 5-7 record with a 4.56 ERA in 20 games, making 19 starts. Refraining from speculating on Germán’s future with the Yankees, Cashman focused on supporting Germán and his family during this critical period.
“I think our focus right now is giving our thoughts and prayers to his family as he takes these very necessary important steps to address his alcoholism,” concluded Cashman.