Stock Up, Stock Down: Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves and more

May 28, 2023; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (99) pitches Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2023; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (99) pitches Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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AL East, Yankees, Domingo German
May 6, 2023; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Domingo German (0) looks down during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Stock Up: New York Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán pitches a perfect game

Prior to taking the ball against the Oakland Athletics, the previous two starts for New York Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán were not good. In starts against the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners, the right-hander allowed a combined 17 runs, 15 earned, on 15 hits, five home runs, in just 5.1 innings. When the Bombers needed him to take the ball and deliver he did against the A’s.

The offense has been a problem for New York since Aaron Judge went out of the lineup with a toe injury and that has put more pressure on the pitching. The offense was not a problem in Germán’s start as they put up 11 runs and he did the rest.

All of Germán’s pitchers were working and his command was the best it had been all season long. He needed just 99 pitches over the nine innings to complete the first perfect game since Felix Hernandez did it for the Mariners on Aug. 15, 2021, against the Tampa Bay Rays. Germán struck out nine and relied on his defense to help him toss the first Yankees perfect game since David Cone did it on July 18, 1999, against the Montreal Expos.

It has not been a good year for Germán as he served a 10-game suspension for failing a sticky substance check in May against the Blue Jays. New York’s pitching staff is waiting on Carlos Rodón to make his Yankees debut, but if Germán can have starts that can keep his team in the game and give them length, that will be beneficial to helping them in the American League Wild Card race.