Yankees avoid Domingo German disaster amid ‘awkward landing’

OAKLAND, Calif. — When Yankees manager Aaron Boone and trainer Steve Donohue went to the Oakland Coliseum mound during the fifth inning Tuesday night after staff ace Domingo German slipped to the dirt while making a pitch and shook his left leg after getting to his feet, it wasn’t overreacting to think the Yankees’ leader in wins was going to leave the game with an injury. After all, they have had 28 players on the injured list for 35 stints this season.

Instead, German took a warm-up toss and proclaimed himself ready to resume pitching.

“It was an awkward landing, bent my foot a little bit,’’ said German, who got out of the fifth without giving up a run, but didn’t make it through the sixth when the Athletics scored twice with the help of left fielder Cameron Maybin’s fielding error to take a 6-1 lead in what became a 6-2 win.

“The hole in the mound was a little funky and he rolled over a little bit,’’ Boone said. “But he was fine.’’

With 121 ¹/₃ innings this season, German is close to exceeding his professional high of 123 ¹/₃ frames, which he threw in 2014 in the minor leagues. The 85 ²/₃ innings German threw last season was his major league high.

The Yankees will work to find ways to alter the right-hander’s work load across the final weeks of the season.

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