Why was Domingo German ejected? Yankees starter faces suspension after removal vs Blue Jays

The game between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night took an unexpected turn when pitcher Domingo German was ejected in the bottom of the fourth inning after the umpiring crew discovered an illegal substance on his pitching hand.

Prior to the ejection, Domingo German had pitched three flawless innings until first-base umpire D.J. Reyburn detected a sticky substance on his right hand. Following a brief discussion among the umpires, German was swiftly removed from the game. Additional reports indicated the presence of a substance on German's pants near the top of his right leg.

This was not Domingo German’s first encounter with "sticky stuff" enforcement. Back in April, during a game against the Twins, German underwent an inspection by the umpires, revealing an excessive amount of rosin on his pitching hand. After washing off the excess rosin, he was permitted to continue pitching, which led to a heated argument from Twins manager Rocco Baldeli, resulting in his ejection from the game.

German's ejection only added to the controversy-filled series between the Yankees and the Blue Jays. The preceding game witnessed discussions surrounding Aaron Judge's sideways glances during the eighth inning, while earlier in the same game, third-base coach Luis Rojas drew attention for not abiding by the coaching box guidelines.

Aaron Judge was accused of cheating on Monday’s game against the Blue Jays

How many games is Domingo German expected to miss?

With Domingo German expected to face a 10-game suspension, the Yankees will be without one of their top pitchers for a significant portion of the month. Germán had been performing well in May, with a 1.89 ERA in three starts. For the whole season, German had a 5.55 ERA

Domingo German will face a 10-game suspension

The incident involving German marks the second time this season that he has been at the center of a "sticky stuff" controversy. While the exact grounds for his ejection are yet to be clarified, MLB has made it clear that excessive or improper use of rosin, which is permitted, may be deemed a prohibited foreign substance. More information from the league regarding this matter is expected in the following days.

With German facing a suspension, the Yankees will have to navigate their roster without one of their top pitchers for a significant portion of the month. As the suspension prevents them from filling his spot on the roster, they may need to rely on a spot starter or reinstate a player from the injured list to compensate for German's absence.

In the end, German's ejection highlights the ongoing effort by MLB to crack down on the use of foreign substances by pitchers and maintain fair play on the field. The league's enforcement measures are aimed at ensuring a level playing field and upholding the integrity of the game.