DETROIT — The Tampa Bay Rays already have 15 players on the injured list. Now pitching coach Kyle Snyder might be on the shelf, too.
Snyder injured himself walking toward the mound to visit ace Shane McClanahan during the seventh inning of a 9-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.
The 44-year-old Snyder had to return to the dugout, and manager Kevin Cash went out to speak with McClanahan instead.
“He pulled a calf muscle — pulled it, strained it, popped it — we haven’t gotten the final injury report yet,” Cash said. “I had to step up.”
McClanahan, who started the All-Star Game for the American League, allowed four runs in 6⅓ innings, raising his ERA to 2.24. He’s holding down a rotation that’s without Tyler Glasnow, Shane Baz, Yonny Chirinos, Josh Fleming and Brendan McKay due to injury.
Snyder, a 6-foot-8 former major league pitcher, has been the Rays’ pitching coach since 2018.
Tampa Bay dropped to 57-50 and are one game ahead of Baltimore for the final AL wild card.