Why do domestic violence policy violations keep affecting Yankees?
Jimmy Cordero of the New York Yankees. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Again? Really?
If there was any clubhouse in the majors that had a better-than-average chance of steering clear of the abhorrent behavior clinically known as domestic violence, the Yankees figured to be near the top of the list.
For the obvious reason that Domingo German, still wearing pinstripes, was suspended for 81 games due to the same violation back in 2019. German is a living, breathing example of MLB’s policy at work, but is better known recently for throwing the 24th perfect game in the sport’s history.
And somehow, a fellow Yankees’ pitcher named Jimmy Cordero — only a few lockers down from German — committed a similarly heinous act, to the degree that MLB suspended him Wednesday for the remainder of this season.
Unlike German’s case, some of which played out publicly with a few teammates as witnesses, there were no details readily available on Cordero’s violation. Confidentiality is considered a key component of MLB’s program, both for the protection of victims and to encourage the reporting of such incidents, which frequently is an obstacle when it comes to domestic violence situations.
But the fact that Cordero was suspended for 76 games — among the longest bans since the policy was implemented in 2015 — and he did not appeal tells us all we need to know. We are left shaking our heads, however, wondering why this has to keep happening, despite the increased awareness, having support structures in place and, of course, severe punitive measures.
If the Yankees are to be believed, they were blindsided, too. For a group of people that spends most of their waking hours together for as long as eight months — on planes, in hotels, at ballparks — it’s hard to imagine that Cordero’s potential to inflict this kind of damage on someone close to him remained under the radar. That speaks to this problem’s insidious nature, leaving it unaddressed until the harm is done.
“I just got a chance to meet Jimmy this year in spring training,” Aaron Judge said before Wednesday night’s game against the Orioles. “It definitely came as a surprise to a lot of us. We really didn’t know about it then you come in today and there’s a suspension. I’m hoping he can get some help, and his family can get some help, and they can get through this. It’s a terrible incident.”
The Yankees have a bit too much experience handling these terrible incidents. Cordero is the 18th player to be officially disciplined by MLB for domestic violence, but the third to wear pinstripes in the past eight years. They traded for Aroldis Chapman in December of 2015 when the Reds’ closer was still under investigation for allegedly choking his girlfriend and menacing her with a handgun. Two months later, Chapman received a 30-game ban, but he spent seven years in the Bronx, earning a pair of contract extensions worth a total of $134 million.
Chapman was still a Yankee when German abused his then-girlfriend (now wife) at a CC Sabathia charity event, then reportedly assaulted her at home afterward. Evidently, Chapman’s penalty wasn’t much of a deterrent for German, who wound up with a suspension nearly three times as long.
And now it’s Cordero, who won’t be a free agent until 2027, meaning the Yankees could have a decision to make. They obviously didn’t have a problem with Chapman, who they actively sought to acquire in a trade and kept re-signing after the suspension. The Yankees didn’t cut loose German, despite a handful of players speaking out against him during spring training of the following year. German apologized to his teammates that February, and the Yankees moved on.
It’s not like the Yankees have a big investment in Cordero. He’ll forfeit the remainder of his MLB-minimum $720,000 salary for this season and is arbitration-eligible for 2024. Cordero was a valued member of baseball’s best bullpen, with a 3.86 ERA and 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings, but those stats should be viewed differently now.
“Obviously, when things like this, that are about as serious as it gets, come up there’s a heavy price to be paid,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Certainly I support that. I know the organization supports that. And hopefully now it turns to genuine healing.”
The Yankees, in the past, have been comfortable with letting MLB pass judgement on their pinstriped offenders, then returning them to the rotation or bullpen. At that point, they can’t claim to be surprised anymore. They know who’s sharing the clubhouse with them or dressing at the next locker. And what that person is capable of.
“I was pretty upset,” said Judge, who spoke with Cordero after learning of the suspension. “I know a lot of the guys on the team are upset. But this is in the league’s hands now. The league handed down the suspension. Hopefully he learns from this and becomes a better person on the other side.”
Sounds like everyone still has a lot to learn. Again.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
