Near the end of a year in which the Yankees have been decimated by injuries, including three during Thursday's doubleheader sweep over the Detroit Tigers, New York nearly experienced another one.
After the Yankees' 6-4 victory against the Tigers in the second game Thursday, RHP Tommy Kahnle needed to meet with the Yankees' trainer.
Kahnle entered for RHP Domingo German in the bottom of the eighth inning and worked the Yankees out of trouble, getting Christin Stewart to line into a double play before returning for the following frame.
Despite the Yankees' 6-2 lead, Kahnle worked into trouble in the bottom of the ninth inning. After his strikeout of Jordy Mercer to start the frame, Kahnle walked Brandon Dixon before he allowed Grayson Greiner's RBI triple and the Tigers trimmed the Yankees' lead to 6-3.
When manager Aaron Boone called on LHP Aroldis Chapman to close out the ballgame for the Yankees, Kahnle entered the dugout and slammed his hand into the plastic sunflower seeds bin, MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reported.
After the game, Boone told reporters, according to Dan Martin of the New York Post, that Kahnle was OK. Boone added that he told Kahnle that he needed to manage his emotions better in the future.
"He did something to his finger," Boone said. "He's fine, I think."
Kahnle, who recorded his 26th hold of the season despite the rocky ninth inning, is 3-1 with a 3.78 ERA and 1.28 WHIP and 82 strikeouts to 17 walks in 66 games (56.1 innings). He has been an important piece to the Yankees' bullpen, which Boone will likely rely on ahead of New York's postseason push.