Welcome to The Pittsburgh Pirates - Domingo Germán

The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed right handed starting pitcher Domingo Germán to a one-year minor league contract with an invite to the rest of the big league camp. Germán’s salary for the upcoming season could be $1.25MM if he claims an MLB roster spot. There is also a 2025 club option with a base value of $2.25MM, and he could earn performance bonuses in both seasons.

Germán was placed on outright waivers by the New York Yankees after a six-year stretch with plenty of ups and downs. In 2019, Germán broke through as a Yankees starter with an 18-4 record and a 4.03 ERA. However, that September, MLB placed Germán on administrative leave after he reportedly assaulted his girlfriend at a charity event. After MLB finished its investigation that offseason, he was suspended for the first 81 games of the 2020 season. That year ended up being the shortened pandemic season, so MLB reinstated him after he missed the entire 60-game schedule. After returning to the Yankees in 2021, Germán suffered through shoulder issues over the next two seasons. He combined to go 6-10 with a 4.17 ERA over 170 ⅔ innings pitched.

Last season, Domingo Germán made the Yankees rotation early on but was suspended 10-games in mid-May for failing a foreign substance inspection. He ended the season 5-7 with a 4.56 ERA in 19 starts. One of his starts in late June was against the Oakland A’s, and he threw MLB’s 24th perfect game of all time, and the first since Felix Hernandez’s in 2012.

But his up and down career took a turn for the worse and on August 2, 2023, the Yankees announced they were placing him on the restricted list so he could report to an inpatient treatment facility for alcohol abuse. 

Germán, now a 31-year-old starting pitcher, is looking for another chance to pitch his way back into the big leagues. Pittsburgh could provide Germán the opportunity to make a starting rotation. Behind Mitch Keller at #1, are lefties Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales. Right hander Luis Ortiz appears to be the frontrunner for the #4 spot, but after that, Bailey Falter, Josh Fleming, Roansy Contreras and Quinn Priester have not taken hold of the #5 spot, leaving the door open for Germán.

Germán is 6 '2" 181lb. right hander who throws a lot of strikes. He makes it a habit to jump out in front of hitters early in the count and when he is on, he is hitting the bottom part of the strike zone and not getting barreled up. When he misses his spots he can become hittable at times. During his career, he has always given up less hits than innings pitched (IP-522.1, H-454) and has struck out over a batter an inning (544 in 522.1 innings). 

Germán has had moments where he has looked like a top of the rotation pitcher. His 18-4 season was after only making 24 starts. He showed glimpses last year of dominance in some games, including his perfect game. The Pirates made several roster moves this off-season but Draft Nation thinks this one has the highest ceiling of them all. 

Draft Nation News- International free agent signing in 2009 by the Florida Marlins.