Suspended Yankees RHP Domingo German says he’s not leaving baseball after cryptic Instagram posts

New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German, who is currently serving an 81-game suspension for domestic violence, raised eyebrows on Friday with a cryptic Instagram story post saying he had left baseball. A day later, he had removed the post and promised he wasn’t walking away.

On Friday, following videos of himself playing with his children, German typed out seven words with no accompanying explanation: “Me fui del baseball, Gracias mi gente.”

A translation, via ESPN’s Marly Rivera: “I’ve left baseball. Thanks everyone.”

Screengrab of Domingo German’s Instagram story.

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That post was preceded by another cryptic post on German’s Instagram in which he said he would be proud of his professional baseball career if he doesn’t come back.

Another translation, via Rivera:

Both posts were deleted less than a day later, as well all but two posts on German’s Instagram page.

He later posted another, much lengthier statement on his Instagram story apologizing to the Yankees and their fans and blaming the confusion on the mental toll of not being with his team.

“Baseball is my life and I promise I am not walking away,” the statement said.

Screengrab of Domingo German’s Instagram story

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German’s initial post had apparently caught the Yankees by surprise. Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Friday that he had no information to offer about the situation, while German’s catcher Gary Sanchez said he hadn’t heard from German in awhile and the post was the first he was hearing of such plans.

German remains poised to miss the entire 2020 MLB regular season due to an 81-game suspension he received after an incident in which he allegedly slapped his girlfriend at a charity gala last September. No criminal charges were filed against German, but MLB still placed him on administrative leave days after the incident.

After missing the end of the 2019 MLB regular season and postseason, German had 63 games remaining on his suspension entering 2020. Due to the league’s shortened season, he would have to wait until Game 4 of a potential Yankees ALDS appearance before he could return to the mound.

In three seasons with the Yankees, German holds a career 4.52 ERA and had something of a breakout season last year before his suspension. The 27-year-old led the Yankees with 18 wins in 2019 while posting a 4.03 ERA and 153 strikeouts in 143 innings.

Has Domingo German retired for good? (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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