The Yankees have been absolutely tearing it up over the past week, but now one of their key players may be in danger of missing some playing time. Yankees starter Joba Chamberlain left in the first inning of Thursday’s game after being struck by a line drive below his right knee.

Chamberlain started his evening against the Baltimore Orioles with a strikeout of O’s second baseman, Brian Roberts. Following Roberts’s at bat, Adam Jones drilled a hard line drive back up the middle, that found Joba’s knee. The ball hit Chamberlain and deflected near the mound, where he picked it up and threw to first base for the forceout.

Yankees skipper Joe Girardi and the training staff took a look at Chamberlain, and it seemed as though he would stay in the game after he threw a few warmup pitches.

Chamberlain then allowed hits to Nick Markakis and Aubrey Huff before Girardi and the head trainer returned to the mound to look at him again. He was immediately sent back to the locker room, while right-hander Alfredo Aceves relieved him.

The Yankees would go on to win the game 7-4 with Aceves getting the win.

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