NEW YORK _ Yankees pitcher Domingo German won't return in the regular season or playoffs, ESPN reports. German was placed on administrative leave on Thursday while MLB investigates a domestic violence case.
Baseball's joint (between the union and commissioner's office) domestic violence policy is open-ended. Players can be put on leave for seven days, or longer if the union agrees to it.
There's no police report on German's incident, but MLB and the union were able to reach an agreement. The Daily News reported Thursday that the incident or incidents were reported directly to the league.
German, 27, had been the Yankees' best pitcher this season, with 18 wins and a 4.03 ERA. He had pitched on Wednesday, two days after the alleged incident occurred.
A source told the News' Kristie Ackert that the Yankees were bracing for German to miss the playoffs. With German well past his career high in innings and Dellin Betances out with a torn Achilles, the team was planning on using him out of the bullpen.
"When you hear the words 'domestic violence,' it's one of those things that stops you in your tracks," Aaron Boone said Thursday. "Set baseball aside. And I give Major League Baseball and the Players Association credit for doing their part several years ago trying to be ahead of this, and putting disciplinary action in place to hopefully be a part of the solution to what is a problem in our society."
Boone had said he heard "whispers" about the German investigation before the pitcher was put on leave, but it's unclear what he knew when he put German in a game against the Angels on Wednesday.
