Domingo German described a “dark” day last season when he knocked over furniture in the Yankees’ clubhouse.
German, who signed with the Pirates this offseason, spoke about his position for the first time. In your NJ.com profile.
German was sent to a rehabilitation facility after the incident, and his Yankees teammates suspected that he had been drinking during the incident, which he denied.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“I didn’t drink anything that day,” German said. “I had a little drink the night before, but I wasn’t incoherent (the next day). On the day of the game, I knew exactly what I was doing.”
However, it wasn’t a situation he was proud of.
“That was a dark day for me,” German said. “I couldn’t control my anger.”
The situation apparently started the day before, when German was suddenly removed from the starting lineup due to arm soreness, but felt he was able to pitch.
Things took an even stranger turn when Johnny Brito, called up as a spot starter from Triple-A, faltered and German entered the game in relief, pitching five scoreless innings.
German admitted that he drank alcohol that night to relieve his frustration.
To make room for Brito on the roster, the Yankees released pitcher Ron Marinaccio, but the next day, German’s Yankees teammates insensitively played loud music in front of Marinaccio as he was being sent to the minors the day before. It is reported that he was confronted by
After being told he was “disrespectful” to his teammates, German fired back by flipping over a couch in the Yankees’ clubhouse and smashing a television.
“It was a really stupid situation,” German said. “No one told me (the night before) that I wasn’t pitching. I wasn’t informed. It had nothing to do with Marinaccio. I feel bad because I don’t treat my teammates that way. doesn’t disrespect anyone. That’s why I was upset. I thought I was being portrayed in such a light and disrespected.”
Marinaccio claimed he disagreed with the Germans over the loud music that was a precursor to the clubhouse vandalism.
“I have no hard feelings towards Domingo,” Marinaccio told the magazine. “I don’t think Domingo needs to apologize to me for anything. He never mocked me to my face. I talked to some people and they told me that Domingo lost (the next day). I asked him, but no one said he was making fun of me.
“I always root for Domingo. As a teammate, I always thought Domingo was a fun guy. He was always laughing. He was a good teammate to me.”
German claimed he was not drunk at the time of the incident and does not have a drinking problem.
“I drink when I want to, and I don’t have any problems,” German told NJ.com. “You don’t have to take it for a month or two.”
German explained that he agreed to go to rehab last season because otherwise the Yankees would have withheld about $870,000 from his $2.6 million contract.
“I went because the Yankees wouldn’t pay me,” German said. “I was told I would be staying for about a month. My wife and family urged me to go. They reminded me that I needed the money. My family told me, ‘From here. You’ll feel better when you come out, and you’ll save money on your salary.’
German was suspended for 81 games by MLB in 2020 after being accused of domestic violence against his girlfriend Mara (later his wife) at a charity event for the CC Sabathia Foundation, a former teammate.
