New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German has been banned for 10 games and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball for violating the rules regarding foreign substances, it was announced Wednesday.
German will not fight his suspension and will begin serving the banishment starting with Wednesday’s game. He cannot be replaced on the roster and the Yankees will be forced to play with 25 men instead of the regular 26.
The right-hander was tossed in the fourth inning of Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays for having his hand coated with something tackier than rosin, umpire James Hoye said.
“The instant I looked at his hand, it was extremely shiny and extremely sticky,” Hoye told a pool reporter Tuesday night. “It’s the stickiest hand I’ve ever felt. My fingers had a hard time coming off his palm.”
German vehemently denied Hoye’s accusation, saying he did not have anything on his hand other than rosin.
“It was definitely just the rosin bag,” German said through an interpreter. “It was sweat and the rosin bag. I don’t need any extra help to grab the baseball.”
Hoye’s crew examined German during an April 15 start against the Minnesota Twins but allowed him to stay in that game after Hoye had asked German to wash rosin off his hand and some had remained on the pitcher’s pinkie finger.
The suspension and fine was announced Wednesday by MLB senior vice president Michael Hill.
Yankees right-hander Luis Severino, who has not pitched this season because of an injury, is expected to be activated off the injured list Sunday to take German’s spot in the rotation against the Cincinnati Reds.
A two-time All-Star selection, the 29-year-old Severino has not pitched for the Yankees this season due to a right lat strain. He surrendered two runs and six hits over 3 1/3 innings Tuesday in a rehab start with Double-A Somerset.
Also on Wednesday, the Yankees put reliever Ian Hamilton on the 15-day injured list because of a strained right groin. New York recalled left-hander Nick Ramirez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
In other news, left-hander Carlos Rodón threw from 90 feet without pain or discomfort Wednesday. He has not pitched this season because of a sore left forearm and an injured back.
German’s ejection was the fourth since Major League Baseball started its crackdown on prohibited grip aids two years ago and the second this season.
New York Mets pitcher and three-time Cy Young award winner, Max Scherzer was suspended for sticky stuff on April 20, and Seattle’s Hector Santiago and Arizona’s Caleb Smith were suspended in 2021.
