Alex Rodriguez has a torn labrum in his right hip, but the New York Yankees think he can avoid surgery.
A cyst in the hip was drained Wednesday, and the third baseman will miss the World Baseball Classic, according to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.
The three-time AL MVP will be treated conservatively in hopes of avoiding an operation. Cashman says if surgery is needed, Rodriguez would be sidelined for four months.
Cashman says the team hopes the cyst was the cause of stiffness that had bothered Rodriguez and caused him to see a specialist.
With A-Rod out of service, the Yanks need to find a fill-in at third base. The leading candidate in the club's system is 33-year-old Cody Ransom.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
