NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 01: Domingo German #55 of the New York Yankees in action against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on June 01, 2019 in New York City. New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox 5-3. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
The last thing the Yankees needed was another injury to a starting pitcher. Unfortunately, Domingo German is headed to the Injured List.
The Yankees have dealt with more injuries than any other team in baseball this season, but now the organization’s depth is set to be tested further. Domingo German’s hip injury is going to send him to the Injured List and force Brian Cashman and his front office to perform some additional magic.
Stephen Tarpley will be the first man to take German’s roster spot, but don’t expect him to be the long-term solution for manager Aaron Boone. He’s being called up to be available against the Indians on Sunday because of his effectiveness against left-handed hitters and the fact that his arm is rested enough to contribute immediately.
The good news is that the Yankees don’t expect German’s injury to keep him out for an extended period of time. It’s quite possible he’ll only miss a turn or two in the rotation due to his left hip flexor strain. But that still means New York will need to juggle their starting rotation a few times to cover up for his absence.
The most likely move for the organization will be to bring Chance Adams back up to the Bronx. He won’t necessarily take German’s spot in the rotation, but he is capable of eating up valuable innings for Boone’s pitching staff. That might be enough to keep the Yankees afloat until German returns to the active roster.
In the long run, German’s injury shouldn’t impact the Yankees very much. He was never going to be able to handle a full workload as a starting pitcher this season. Even if he enjoyed perfect health for the entire year the organization was always going to put him on a strict innings limit. In some ways, this injury will only serve to delay the Yankees implementing that policy.
Even so, this is another big challenge for the organization’s depth in the short-term. The Yankees have been able to survive every injury to date, but at some point the team’s performance is going to start to fall off due to the lack of available Major Leaguers. It’s possible German’s injury could turn into the straw that breaks the camel’s back.