Domingo German on Wednesday joined Don Larsen, David Wells and David Cone as the only New York Yankees to throw a perfect game, and now the intrigue will be about what the follow-up performance looks like.
Coming off his historic perfect game, German will be on the mound Monday night when the Yankees return home for the opener of a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.
The Yankees, who dropped two of three at home to Baltimore May 23-25, are returning to New York after a 3-3 road trip. They ended the trip by being held to three hits in a 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
German (5-5, 4.54 ERA) had allowed a combined 17 earned runs in consecutive losses at Boston and to Seattle before making history in Oakland. The right-hander threw 99 pitches, including 51 curveballs, and got nine strikeouts against the Athletics in an 11-0 victory.
"So exciting," German said postgame on YES Network, through an interpreter after pitching the 24th perfect game in baseball history. "When you think about something very unique in baseball, not many people have an opportunity to pitch a perfect game. To accomplish something like this in my career is something that I'm going to remember forever."
German tossed New York's first perfect game since Cone did it on July 18, 1999, against the Montreal Expos. He is hoping to avoid what unfolded in Cone's next start after the perfect game as Cone allowed six runs in four innings against Cleveland.
"When he gets rolling like that, he's just so fun to watch at his craft because he's so good at commanding all of his pitches," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "His curveball was great tonight, but because his changeup and his fastball were good, too, it made that curveball even more special."
German is 6-1 with a 2.40 ERA in nine career appearances (seven starts) against the Orioles. He last faced Baltimore Sept. 30, 2022 in New York when he allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings for his first loss against them.
The Orioles will face German after halting a season-high four-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins on Sunday. The Orioles totaled three runs and 12 hits against Minnesota in the series but got the win Sunday when rookie infielder Jordan Westburg was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth inning.
"This is a grinder of a win, and I think we needed it going into an important series in New York," Baltimore starting pitcher Cole Irvin said.
Westburg was hit on the back of his left hand and underwent X-rays but will likely play Monday.
The Orioles may be without outfielder Austin Hays, who is hitting .312. Hays exited after the fourth inning with a hip contusion and is day-to-day.
Tyler Wells (6-4, 3.21) starts for Baltimore and hopes to avoid his third straight loss. He allowed four runs in five innings June 21 in a 7-2 defeat at Tampa Bay, and then allowed two runs in six innings in a 3-1 loss to the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.
Wells is 0-4 with a 5.26 ERA in 12 career appearances (six starts) against the Yankees. He last faced the Yankees on May 24 when he allowed five runs in five innings and took a no-decision when the Orioles scored eight times in the seventh inning for a 9-6 win.
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