TAMPA, Fla.: If Domingo Germn is to speak to the New York Yankees as a team following his return from a domestic violence suspension, manager Aaron Boone would prefer the pitcher be the one who suggests it.
Germn was put on administrative leave on Sept. 19, 2019, while Major League Baseball investigated an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend, with whom he has at least one child. He missed the final nine games of, the 2019 regular season and all nine of New Yorks postseason games.
He was suspended for 81 games on Jan. 2 last year, a ban that had 63 games left. He missed the entire 2020 season and playoffs.
Germn returned for the start of spring training this week. Asked Thursday whether Germn needed to speak with teammates about what happened Yankees reliever Zack Britton said: I think its off-the-field stuff that he needs to take care of. I think sometimes you dont get to control who your teammates are.”
Its, I guess, put a little strength in my antenna as far as something that Im looking at more closely now, Boone said Friday. Im not ready to say that Domingo needs to go and address the team. I dont think that at this point is something that I want to make somebody do that. I think that needs to be something that comes from within and is authentic.”
But it is something that Im looking at and trying to pay attention to as best I can, because obviously were dealing with a serious issue and were dealing with a persons life and livelihood and we want to be a part of helping that situation, he said.
Germn was 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 2019 before his season was cut short.
First and foremost, today he looked great in his bullpen,” Boone said. Hes physically in really good, good condition, in shape. Look, we’re all human. Reality is, its been a year and a half now where, obviously hes been through a lot in his life and has suffered from a career standpoint. So, yeah, of course, Im going to be sensitive to how hes responding and we’re reacting to things that arent just as simple as the baseball-related stuff.
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