For much of the first two-plus months of the season, Domingo German was a solid piece of a Yankee rotation that needed it, with injuries to Carlos Rodon, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas and — more recently — Nestor Cortes.
But over his last two starts, the right-hander has been alarmingly bad.
German had a second straight disastrous outing in Thursday’s 10-2 loss to Seattle, getting hammered for 10 runs — eight earned — in just 3 ¹/₃ innings.
It came on the heels of another ugly performance in Boston when German was hit for seven runs in two-plus innings at Fenway Park.
“It happens,’’ German said through an interpreter. “You think, ‘Is it mechanics? Is it release point? Are [hitters] adjusting?’ ”
Prior to Thursday’s game, Aaron Boone expressed confidence that German would be able to put the poor showing versus the Red Sox behind him and get back to the form that allowed him to limit the Dodgers and Red Sox to two runs over 12 ²/₃ innings in his two outings immediately before the disaster at Fenway.
Afterwards, Boone pointed to German leaving breaking balls up in the zone as a primary issue.
“We’ve got to dig in and get Domingo back on line,’’ Boone said.
German has now been hit hard in three of his five outings since being ejected for violating MLB’s ban on using grip-enhancing substances in a start against Toronto on May 16.
After serving the 10-game suspension, German returned and allowed four runs in 6 ¹/₃ innings in Seattle on May 29 before the back-to-back strong outings versus Los Angeles and Boston.
But then came the game last Friday against the Red Sox and German was just as bad Thursday in The Bronx, struggling with his command and getting hit hard.
He tied a career-high by giving up four homers and although he was hardly helped by the Yankees’ defense, German’s spin rates were down and he was no match for the Mariners.
For a second consecutive outing, German pitched badly enough that the Yankees went to Isiah Kiner-Falefa to finish the game on the mound.
With Clarke Schmidt pitching better over the past month, German’s spot could be in jeopardy once Rodon and Cortes join the rotation.
The drop-off in performance for German has been drastic.
He pitched well in six of his first seven starts before last Friday’s meltdown at Fenway Park.
But over his last two starts, German’s ERA has skyrocketed from 3.49 to 5.10.
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