After perfect game, heavy-hearted Domingo German took it easy

OAKLAND, Calif. – After, in Domingo German’s words, “not a lot” of sleep the night before, the cause of that lack of rest was still “kind of unbelievable” to the pitcher.

German threw the 24th perfect game in MLB history Wednesday night in the Yankees 11-0 victory over the A’s at Oakland Coliseum.

The bleary-eyed 30-year-old clearly had not slept much, though not because of celebrating deep into the night with his teammates [with the fast turnaround, a 12:37 p.m. local start time for Thursday’s game, there wasn’t much in the way of celebrating by anybody at the team hotel in San Francisco].

“The hotel was busy last night and I saw some of my teammates in the lobby,” German said through his interpreter late Thursday morning. “Probably wanted to stay there and share it with them, but at the same time, for me, it’s important to make right choices and keep making right choices.”

That was in reference to the 81-game suspension German incurred in 2019 for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence protocol, with his use of alcohol playing a significant role in the incident involving his then-girlfriend and now wife.

“So I just decided to celebrate calling family and doing some video calls and spent the night like that, just reminiscing about the game itself and sharing that moment with my family,” German said.  

The previous night, when the Yankees returned to the clubhouse after the perfect game, captain Aaron Judge spoke before German was awarded the championship belt, given to the player-of-the-game after any victory. German, who is learning English, spoke after Judge.

“A little more length than usual,” Aaron Boone said of German’s speech. “Going into the room and hearing Domingo speak from the heart, especially with what he’s gone through this week with losing a loved one, just pretty cool to witness it.”

German pitched Wednesday with plenty on his mind besides baseball as earlier in the week his uncle, Saint Jacques Gean Louis, passed away.

The pitcher said that, among the keepsakes he’ll be taking home from his historic night, will be the game ball from the final out, his uniform, cleats, hat, glove and belt [which has the name of his youngest son written on the inside]. He said the enormity of the his accomplishment was starting to register.

German flashed back to this year’s annual welcome home dinner, which this year honored David Wells, who threw a perfect game May 17, 1998 vs. the Twins at Yankee Stadium.

“He was talking about the perfect game and how much it meant to him and how much he felt like [it] did it yesterday,” German said. “That made me realize, 'wow, what an impactful achievement that is.' And, for me, it’s always a dream to pitch a perfect game. When you’re coming up as a pitcher, it’s something you dream about, perfection. To be able to do that last night, it’s a great accomplishment.”

Rizzo dinged up

Anthony Rizzo, who was hit by a pitch on his left elbow in the top of the sixth inning Thursday, was replaced in the field in the bottom half and is questionable for Friday’s series-opener in St. Louis. X-rays came back negative, Boone said, and the veteran first baseman spent a lengthy period of time getting treatment after the game.

“We’ll see if he’s good enough to go tomorrow,” Boone said.