BROKEN PROMISE: Alex Rodriguez grabs his left hand in pain after being plunked by Felix Hernandez in last night’s 4-2 loss to the Mariners. The Yankees third baseman, escorted from the game after getting hit (inset), will be placed on the disabled list with a broken hand. (
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SEATTLE — They have survived Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia going on the disabled list. Now the Yankees will discover if losing Alex Rodriguez for what could be up to six weeks is an injury they can’t overcome.
Rodriguez suffered a non-displaced fracture on the outside of the left hand when hit by a Felix Hernandez pitch last night at Safeco Field, where the Yankees dropped a 4-2 decision to the Mariners in front of 31,908.
Tests discovered the fracture. It’s the same injury Eric Chavez suffered in 2004 that kept him out for about five weeks.
“It’s difficult, it’s a tough break,’’ a somber Rodriguez said in the clubhouse following the Yankees’ fifth loss in six games.
Asked if he had been given a timetable, Rodriguez responded, “They haven’t told me, just that it’s a fracture. It’s a tough blow.’’
If it’s eight weeks Rodriguez would make it back before the end of the season but what he could contribute would be a question.
Rodriguez will fly home with the Yankees today and be examined by team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad. Until Ahmad sees Rodriguez, manager Joe Girardi wasn’t speculating how long the Yankees will be without the third baseman, who was in an 11-game stretch where he was 15-for-43 (.349) with two homers and four RBIs.
Rodriguez was one of three Yankees hit by Hernandez, who improved his record to 9-5. Rodriguez and Ichiro Suzuki were hit by off-speed pitches clocked at 88 mph and Derek Jeter was plunked in the left arm by a 91-mph fastball.
Nobody in the Yankees’ clubhouse accused Hernandez of head-hunting.
Chavez, who will start today at third but didn’t get Girardi’s endorsement to be the full-time replacement, said he knows what Rodriguez is experiencing.
“I was out eight weeks to the day,’’ Chavez said. “It’s huge. Everybody talks about other teams’ injuries but we have had our share.’’
Actually, Chavez was out from June 2 — July 9, 2004 when that injury occurred, according to the Yankees’ media guide.
If Eduardo Nunez were healthy he would be the favorite to be promoted but he is still bothered by a hand injury. Brandon Laird has played 70 games at third for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but he is hitting .249.
Jayson Nix can assist Chavez at third, but expect the Yankees to explore what’s available from the outside
“We lost Mo. We lost Andy and now we have lost Al,’’ Jeter said. “We will see how good we are. It will be a challenge.’’
“It’s very unfortunate, a big loss. Alex was swinging the bat well,’’ Mark Teixeira said.
The Yankees’ fifth loss in six West Coast games leaves them looking for a victory this afternoon in order to avoid jetting home with a 1-6 record.
In his second game as a Yankee, Ichiro went 1-for-3 and was hit on the right foot by an 88-mph breaking ball from Hernandez in the seventh.
Since the Mariners have watched Ichiro show off a powerful throwing arm for the past 11 1/2 years, it was surprising two Seattle runners went first-to-third in the two-run second and made it safely.
Hernandez, 26, allowed two runs and four hits in 7 1/3 innings. He also walked three batters.
Freddy Garcia, 36 and a former Mariner, allowed three runs and five hits in a season-high 7 1/3 innings but fell to 4-4. Garcia fanned a season-high eight and didn’t issue a walk.
Because the second-place Orioles lost to the Rays, the Yankees’ lead in the AL East remained at seven games.
george.king@nypost.com