Yankees place Domingo German, MLB wins leader, on IL

Kirstie Chiappelli

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Yankees place Domingo German, MLB wins leader, on IL image

The Yankees are stretching their bullpen awfully thin.

The team announced Sunday it has placed right-handed pitcher Domingo German on the 10-day injured list with a left hip flexor strain.

The Yankees recalled left-hander Stephen Tarpley from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a corresponding move.

German, who is tied with Justin Verlander, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Lucas Giolito for MLB's lead in wins, was sidelined after struggling for a third straight start in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Indians. He allowed four runs in six innings, bringing his ERA in his past three starts to 8.59.

He is scheduled to undergo further testing, including an MRI, on Monday.

"We’re hoping that, when we get back to New York and go through the tests, that it is something that’s minor and doesn’t hold him back for a while," manager Aaron Boone said Sunday, via the New York Post.

German was hesitant to join fellow pitchers James Paxton and CC Sabathia on the IL, which is why he chose not to disclose his injury to the team at first.

"I didn’t tell the team at the time because I felt like it was the kind of injury that I was going to get through. In between starts, it would kind of go away," German said Sunday through an interpreter. "So I didn’t think it was something that would put me out of the rotation. I thought it was something I could deal with and I could get over it.

"It’s a little bit frustrating. This is exactly what I was trying to prevent. Trying to work on this and trying to prevent it from becoming a bigger thing. And now the IL, which is going to stop me from helping the team and pitching, which is what I want to do.

"But I’m also not concerned with it. We’ll see how it goes. Hopefully, I can get back as soon as possible."

German, 26, is 9-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) this season.

Kirstie Chiappelli