The Yankees are looking for a trade to bolster their starting rotation, but the impending return of Domingo German will really give the team a boost.
Domingo German isn’t the sort of ace the Yankees are shopping for on the trade market, but that doesn’t mean his return won’t be welcome news for manager Aaron Boone. The fact that his rehabilitation from a hip injury is going according to plan is great news for everyone associated with the Bronx Bombers.
His return to the majors isn’t imminent, but he did throw a 25-pitch bullpen on Friday without experiencing any discomfort. German is scheduled to throw another bullpen on Monday before heading to the minors for at least one rehabilitation start. Given that information, it’s safe to assume that Boone and company are hoping to slot German back into the rotation in the next two to three weeks.
It’s easy to forget just how good German was before succumbing to injury. His 70 innings pitched with an ERA of just 3.86 powered him to an impressive 9-2 start to the season. His performance was starting to tail off before he went on the Injured List, but it’s possible that German tried to pitch through his hip injury before disclosing it to Yankees officials. That could mean part of his struggles were due to injury instead of regression to the mean.
Even if German just manages to pitch as a slightly above-average starter for the rest of the season he will be a nice addition to the Yankees rotation. Recently, Boone has been forced to go with an opener once every five days. That puts a great deal of stress on his bullpen. His relieving corps is certainly one of the ball club’s biggest strengths, but taxing it in June and July may prevent the group from being at its best in October when it really counts.
German’s return to the active roster isn’t going to cause the Yankees to stop their search for a trade to get their pitching rotation ready for the playoffs, but it will really help Boone’s team over the next few months. His return to the majors is a big key for New York’s pitching staff staying fresh to be at their best in the postseason.