New York Yankees’ Domingo German was on Wednesday suspended for 10 games and fined an undisclosed amount for violating a ban on the use of external substances that enhance grip on the ball, according to a decision by Major League Baseball (MLB). Was applied.
The fine was announced a day after the pitcher was ejected in the fourth inning of Tuesday night’s road game against Toronto for what the head umpire described as “the stickiest hand I’ve ever felt.”
At the end of the game umpire James Hoey (referring to Jermaine) explained, “It was very difficult to get his fingers off the palm of his hand.”
Michael Hill, senior vice president of MLB field operations, delivered the sentence. Jermaine did not appeal, and his suspension began with Wednesday night’s game at Toronto.
Jermaine cannot be replaced in the squad while suspended. If either game was not rained out, the pitcher would be able to return to the mound on May 28 against San Diego.
“He overstepped the bounds for the umpires, and now we have to face the consequences,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in Toronto on Wednesday. He said, ‘No player should bear this burden alone. We will all share this and we will achieve this together.
Yankees right-hander Luis Severino is expected to be activated from the disabled list to replace Jermaine as the starter against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.
Severino, 29, a two-time All-Star, has not pitched for New York this season because of a right latissimus dorsi muscle strain. He allowed two runs and six hits over 3 1/3 innings during a rehab start for Double-A Somerset on Tuesday.
By Tuesday night, Jermaine had retired his first nine batters. He dismissed umpire Hoey’s claim, noting that he only had the rosin pitch on hand.
“Of course it was just a bag of tar,” declared Germain. “It was sweat and tar bags. I don’t need any extra help holding the ball.”
Germain became the fourth pitcher since MLB began fighting and banning the use of substances that help grip the ball two years ago. Two pitchers have been fired this season.
Hoy’s umpires checked the 30-year-old right-hander’s arm when he made his debut against Minnesota on April 15. Jermaine had retired his first 16 batters at that point, but they allowed him to continue in the match.
Hoey asked the German to wipe the tar off his hand, but some of the substance remained on his little finger.
Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was suspended on April 20 for using a sticky substance. Seattle’s Hector Santiago and Arizona’s Caleb Smith were suspended into 2021.
