Domingo Germán talking with New York Yankees teammates about suspension

TAMPA, Fla. --New York Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán has started the process of talking to teammates about his domestic violence suspension that's kept him off the mound since September 2019.

Germán was 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 2019 when he was put on administrative leave while Major League Baseball investigated an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend, with whom he has at least one child.

"It is important to me that I have the opportunity to speak directly with my teammates, both individually and collectively and address them face to face before I speak to the media and our fans," Germán said in a statement released by the Yankees on Sunday.

"This process has begun but more time is needed, especially since half our team has yet to report to spring training. I recognize that speaking publicly will be an important step for me and I will do so in the upcoming days," he said.

The Yankees' first full-squad workout was Tuesday.

"I thought it was impactful, I hope, and I believe that," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "It was a good step. It gave everyone a chance to really start that conversion. The proof is to going to be in what's ahead and how he is as a teammate and how he is in life in general. I would say it was a good day."

Germán, 28, had been scheduled to hold a Zoom session Sunday with reporters, but that was pushed back.

The right-hander missed the final nine games of the 2019 regular season and all nine of New York's postseason games. He was suspended for 81 games on Jan. 2 last year, a ban that had 63 games left and cost him the entire 2020 season and playoffs.

Germán made waves his first day back with the Yankees on reporting day Wednesday because of an Instagram post he wrote in Spanish that said "Everything is over." He deleted his posts, then wrote, "I'm ready" in Spanish.

"I think first and foremost, my role is to support but also listen to a number of different voices in the room and really get a feel of the situation," Boone said. "We'll see how this unfolds over the coming days. They are going to be important conversions, important days. The proof is going to be in the behavior and how he does and how he lives his life."

New York closer Aroldis Chapman had an extended conversion with Germán on Saturday. Chapman served a 30-game suspension under MLB's domestic violence policy in 2016 stemming from an altercation with his girlfriend.

"Talked about some of the different things that happened with him the past year or so," Chapman said through a translator. "Spoke candidly about it."