Josh Thomson

jthomson@lohud.com

Alex Rodriguez left the game in the sixth with a left oblique injury.

Rodriguez had an MRI, but results were negative and he is expected to travel to Texas.

NEW YORK - Alex Rodriguez left Sunday's game in the sixth inning with left oblique stiffness, but MRI results were negative and he is expected to travel with the Yankees to Texas.

Rodriguez left during the game for examination at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and was not available to speak with reporters.

"Tricky," said Joe Girardi, whose team lost to the Rays 8-1. "Any time someone leaves with an oblique, you’re not really optimistic because they take a while depending on the severity of it. I even think when players physically feel ready I still don’t think they have the strength they had before. It takes some time to get that back. Yeah, I worry. Hopefully whatever it is is really, really minor. He said he didn’t feel that bad when he left to get the MRI, but I think the MRI will tell us a lot more."

As of now, the Yankees said they will not make an immediate roster move.

In his last at-bat before suffering the injury Sunday, Rodriguez had knocked in the Yankees' only run when he lined a two-out double off the top of the wall in left to score Brett Gardner. Rodriguez snapped an 0-for-14 skid with the hit and did not appear to experience any discomfort on the play.

"It was not after his double," Girardi said. "It was while he was preparing for that next at-bat taking a few swings in the cage. It would’ve been the middle of the sixth or the end of the top of the sixth when I got word."

Rodriguez was removed for pinch-hitter Dustin Ackley in the bottom of the sixth.

The Yankees have already played a player short since outfielder Aaron Hicks injured his left shoulder diving for a ball in center field Friday night. Hicks was removed the next inning and has not played since. Although he said Sunday his condition had improved slightly, Hicks was still in pain and was unavailable to play.

"I plan on traveling with the team," Hicks said. "Whenever I’m ready to go, I’ll go from there."

The Yankees hoped they could avoid placing Hicks on the disabled list, but Girardi suggested the club would make a move with one of its injured players in the event Rodriguez or Hicks cannot return soon.

"Playing two short would be really difficult," Girardi said.

The Yankees embark on a nine-game road trip, which is scheduled to begin Monday night in Texas against the Rangers.

Prospect killed in car crash: Yankee prospect Sandy Acevedo died in a car accident Saturday in the Dominican Republic at just 18 years old.

The Yankees signed Acevedo, an infielder, out of the Dominican in July 2015 as an international free agent. They honored him with a moment of silence prior to first pitch on Sunday.

Pinder leaning toward surgery: Reliever Branden Pinder will visit Dr. James Andrews this week for a second opinion on his partially-torn elbow ligament, but Girardi said the right-hander was leaning toward Tommy John surgery.

"I think he’s probably leaning toward surgery, but I think he’ll get Dr. Andrews’ opinion before he makes a decision," Girardi said.

Extra bases: With his first-inning single, Carlos Beltran tied Ted Simmons for 10th place on the all-time hit list for switch hitters. Beltran, who turned 39 Sunday, now has 2,472 career hits. ... Rodriguez's double was the 542nd of his career. He passed Rogers Hornsby and tied Harry Heilmann for 32nd on the all-time list.

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