Yankees' German apologizes for cryptic posts, says he's not retiring

New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German apologized for his social media posts on Friday that suggested he was leaving baseball.

In a new story posted to Instagram on Saturday, German - who is currently serving a suspension for violating the MLB-MLBPA joint domestic violence policy - clarified he's not retiring from the sport.

"To my teammates, the Yankees organization, and our fans, I am very sorry for the unsettling post last night," he wrote. "This past year has been very tough for my family and myself, for which I take full responsibility. Not being with my teammates while they get ready for the season, knowing that I have let them down, has taken a toll on me and last night I let my emotions get the best of me.

"Baseball is my life and I promise I am not walking away. I am using this time to get stronger, become a better person and father, and I can only hope that I will get to join my teammates once again to make them proud. Thank you to everyone, especially the Yankees organization, for their support. Please forgive me for this mistake."

German posted a cryptic message in Spanish to his Instagram on Friday night that translated as: "I left baseball. Thanks my people." He later added a second post suggesting he was happy with how his career ended if he chose not to return to the Yankees. Both posts have since been deleted, and his Instagram account now has just two posts and the statement of apology.

The 27-year-old posted a 4.03 ERA with 153 strikeouts in 27 appearances (24 starts) for the Yankees last year. He received an 81-game suspension for violating the joint domestic violence policy in January. The ban began in late September and German still has 63 games left to serve, meaning he'll miss the entire 2020 season.

German is not arbitration-eligible until 2022.