Yanks RHP Pinder has partial elbow tear; Hicks sent for MRI

NEW YORK (AP) Yankees reliever Branden Pinder has a partial ligament tear in his right elbow and must decide whether to have Tommy John surgery.

New York manager Joe Girardi confirmed the diagnosis Saturday and said Pinder probably will choose in the next couple of days whether to have ligament-replacement surgery, which would likely sideline him at least a year, or try a rehabilitation program and pitch with the partial tear.

Also, outfielder Aaron Hicks was sent for an MRI on his sore left shoulder, keeping him out of the lineup Saturday against Tampa Bay Rays rookie left-hander Blake Snell. Hicks left Friday night's game with a jammed shoulder soon after diving for Brandon Guyer's bloop single.

Pinder struggled in his lone big league appearance this year and was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a strained elbow. The right-hander was 0-2 with a 2.93 ERA in 25 relief outings for the Yankees last season, his first in the majors.

New York reliever Nick Rumbelow already is out for the season with a torn elbow ligament, reducing the number of middle-relief options available to Girardi.

''It's frustrating because it's two guys that we thought would help us during the course of the year, so it does affect what we could possibly do,'' Girardi said.