WASHINGTON — Brett Gardner’s right elbow doesn’t require surgery, but there is no guarantee the speedy left fielder will return this season.
Gardner’s non-throwing hinge was examined by Dr. Tim Kremcheck Thursday in Cincinnati. Kremchek agreed with Yankees physician Chris Ahmad and Dr. James Andrews that the elbow houses a muscle strain, a bone bruise and joint inflammation.
On Monday, Andrews recommended three to four weeks of rest and Kremchek seconded that opinion. Kremchek also administered a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and cortisone shot. Gardner will wear an elbow brace to help the healing.
The positive news is Gardner, who hasn’t played since April 17 and had to halt two minor league rehab stints due to discomfort when swinging a bat, doesn’t need surgery.
The negative is since he has had to shut it down twice after extended rest there is no reason to believe a third round of rest is going to be enough to get Gardner back on the field.
If he rests for a month and then starts a rehab assignment, he may not be ready for the big leagues until days before the July 31 trading deadline.
The Yankees have gotten by with Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones in left without Gardner, but neither comes close to Gardner defensively or on the bases. And without Gardner around, manager Joe Girardi hasn’t been able to give center fielder Curtis Granderson a day off. Granderson has played every inning but two this season.
With the Phillies looking more and more like deadline sellers, they could shop outfielders Shane Victorino and/or Juan Pierre, free agents at the end of the season.
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The Yankees and Nationals open a three-game series tonight at Nationals Park between the AL East and NL East leaders.
“We are playing great baseball right now,’’ Nick Swisher said of the Yankees, who are riding a season-high, six-game winning streak and have won 11 of 13. “We are going up against a hot team. It should be a great series.’’
The Nationals have won six in a row and nine of 11.
Girardi has heard enough about the Yankees not having won a game in which the majors’ home run leaders haven’t hit a homer.
“I don’t care how we score runs, home runs are hits,’’ said Girardi, whose club is 37-13 when hitting a homer and 0-12 when it doesn’t homer.
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To make room for David Robertson’s return from the DL, the Yankees optioned right-handed reliever David Phelps to Single-A Tampa.
Phelps worked one game since May 29. He appeared in 13 games (two starts) and was 1-2 with a 2.94 ERA.
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Alex Rodriguez, who has four hits in the last eight at-bats with a homer and seven RBIs with runners in scoring position in the last five games, is one RBI from tying Jimmie Foxx (1,924) for sixth place on the all-time list.
The Yankees are 17-0 in games Rodriguez drives in a run