BOSTON — Ivan Nova’s wish to get a second opinion on his injured right elbow has the full support of the Yankees.
“I would always consider a second opinion,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said an hour before the Yankees’ 5-1 loss to the Red Sox Wednesday night at Fenway Park.
The Yankees’ medical team announced Tuesday after a Monday MRI exam showed Nova has a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament and recommended Tommy John surgery. That announcement followed an MRI exam taken Friday in Tampa that showed the tear.
Wednesday, Nova told the club he was going to see Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion. The Yankees agreed to send their MRI exam to Andrews.
While rehab is an option it’s not the best one and Nova, who left a game Friday night against the Rays in St. Petersburg when he heard something pop in the elbow, is expected to have the surgery.
Derek Jeter’s 11-game hitting streak was snapped. During the streak, he was hitting .298 (17-for-57) overall. Jeter is hitting .279.
Considering his age (39) and having played in just 17 games a year ago due to various lower leg injuries, there were questions as to what the shortstop could give the Yankees.
“I told you if he was healthy I thought he would play well,’’ Girardi said. “It was just a matter of how healthy he was going to be. For the most part he has stayed healthy and he has played well.’’
Wednesday night wasn’t one of Jeter’s best. He was 0-for-4 and his throwing error led to two unearned runs in the third inning when the Red Sox upped a 2-0 lead to 4-0.
Mark Teixeira’s night was as tough as Jeter’s. The first baseman went 0-for-4, whiffing four times.
Girardi said the switch-hitting Yangervis Solarte not starting against right-hander John Lackey wasn’t solely related to Solarte being hitless in the last 14 at-bats.
“Just a day off,’’ said Girardi, who started the left-handed hitting Kelly Johnson at third. “He has run into some pretty good pitchers. Like I said, I want to keep everyone active.’’
Solarte went 0-for-5 and struck out in the three middle at-bats but Girardi said he was encouraged by two fielding gems he made and hitting the ball hard to center in the final at-bat.
Johnson went 1-for-3 with a double and a throwing error that helped build a Red Sox run in the eighth.
Girardi said he wasn’t sure what shortstop Brendan Ryan did in Tampa, but estimated if Ryan doesn’t experience a setback he could come off the DL “in a week to 10 days.’’
Ryan is playing in intrasquad games with the extended spring program while coming back from a pinched nerve in the neck.