Major League Baseball is suspending Yankees RHP Domingo German for 81 games. The news was first reported by Hannah Keyser of Yahoo Sports.
The suspension is retroactive to Sept. 19, when German was first placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball under the joint MLB-MLBPA Domestic Violence Policy at the end of the 2019 season. The ban was extended Sept. 25 into the postseason.
It includes the nine regular-season games in 2019 and subsequently into the playoffs, where the Yankees logged nine games between the Minnesota Twins (three-game ALDS) and Houston Astros (six-game ALCS). So German will miss the first 63 games of the 2020 season.
The Yankees said in a statement: "We remain steadfast in our support of Major League Baseball's investigative process and the disciplinary action taken regarding Domingo German. Domestic violence - in any form - is a gravely serious matter that affects every segment of our society. Major League Baseball has taken the lead in our industry to make domestic violence awareness and prevention a priority, and we will continue to back those efforts. We are encouraged by Domingo's acceptance of his discipline, and we sincerely hope this indicates a commitment to making a meaningful and positive change in his personal conduct."
MLB placed German on administrative leave Sept. 19 as the league investigated what was an alleged domestic incident that occurred late Sept. 16 or early Sept. 17, following LHP CC Sabathia's charity gala, as SNY's Andy Martino reported. The incident involved a girlfriend.
German did not face criminal charges. The 81-game ban is the MLB's longest under the joint MLB-MLBPA Domestic Violence Policy, surpassing Chicago Cubs INF Addison Russell's 40 game suspension in 2018.
Upon the initial news in September, Martino reported that a significant suspension was "a strong possibility."
The 27-year-old German last pitched Sept. 18. German was statistically one of New York's top pitchers with an 18-4 record and a 4.03 ERA in 27 games (24 starts) last season.