Domingo German Hiding Injury Screwed Yankees in Dallas Keuchel Chase
By Joey Mauceri
It seems that the injuries will simply never end for the Yankees, as starting pitcher Domingo German is headed to the IL with a hip flexor strain, with an MRI still to come.
Prior to today’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves:
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 9, 2019
·Placed RHP Domingo Germán on the 10-day IL with a left hip flexor strain (retroactive to 6/8).
·Recalled LHP Stephen Tarpley from Triple-A @swbrailriders.
Fresh off a third consecutive tough start, German told reporters that he has been dealing with pain in his hip since his first bad start of the three in Kansas City, and get this, he didn't tell the team until Saturday, assuming the pain would dissipate.
Kid, this is the 2019 Yankees we're talking about. The pain never dissipates.
Domingo Germán says he’s been feeling pain in his hip since the start he made a couple Sundays ago in Kansas City. He didn’t tell the team about the pain, because he thought he could fight through it and it would eventually go away. He really started feeling it in the 2nd inn Fri
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) June 9, 2019
Disappointing, to say the least.
Unfortunately, if the Yankees had known a week earlier that their starting depth was about to be tested once more, they could have made an addition to their rotation in the form of free agent starter Dallas Keuchel, instead of being narrowly outbid for his services.
The argument can be made that, knowing German would be on an innings limit anyway, the team likely should've pursued reinforcements regardless. But had German told the Yankees earlier about the pain he was feeling, Cashman certainly would have had more urgency in his pursuit of Keuchel. Considering the Yankees were only outbid by a reported $1-2 million by the Braves, I'm sure the incentive to plug the hole that German would leave in the rotation would have done enough to force Cashman to up his offer to Keuchel.
#Yankees place Domingo German on IL with hip flexor injury. Their rotation is thinning. Would guess Chance Adams gets another opportunity off of strong recent work. But wonder if NYY regrets not stretching more for Keuchel.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) June 9, 2019
With this news, the Yankees now have four starters on the IL in the form of German, Luis Severino, Jonathan Loaisaga and Jordan Montgomery. Severino, Montgomery, and Loaisaga are all not expected back until after the All-Star break, as the Bombers' starting pitching depth has essentially become nonexistent.
German not reporting his injury to the team is troublesome, and has put the Yankees in an even more precarious situation with their rotation than just one week ago. Adding Dallas Keuchel certainly would have helped in a big way.