Domingo German getting second chance with Pirates

Domingo German has found his way back to the majors.

German had signed a second minor league contract with the Pirates, this deal having an opt-out date of Aug. 9. According to Mike Rodriguez, the Pirates are avoiding that opt-out clause by promoting German to the major league roster, although his exact role has not been revealed.

He had mixed results at Triple-A, posting a 5.29 ERA and a 1.426 WHiP over 68 innings, striking out 66 batters with 31 walks. Those numbers are skewed by his performance at the beginning of the season; German allowed 22 runs, 18 earned, on 26 hits and 14 walks over his first 20.1 innings spanning four games.

The Pirates also represent a second chance for German. He had a checkered history during his time with the Yankees, both on and off the diamond.

German led the majors with an .818 winning percentage in 2019, but missed the playoffs that season and the entirety of the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign due to an 81-game suspension for violating the domestic violence policy.

He fired a perfect game in 2023, but also received a ten-game suspension for violating the foreign-substance prohibition. German also missed the final two months of the 2023 season as he underwent treatment for alcohol abuse following an incident in the Yankees locker room.

German has another year of team control left despite his roller-coaster career. He could fill a valuable role going forward if he can perform well over the final few weeks of the season.

At 32-years-old, German should have plenty left in the tank. He just needs to take advantage of his second chance with the Pirates.