Yankees starting pitcher Ivan Nova could be headed for Tommy John surgery.

Nova has a partial UCL tear. (Getty Images)
Nova has a partial UCL tear. (Getty Images)
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The righty has been diagnosed with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), and that is the part of the elbow that is addressed in the surgical procedure.

Nova said he felt discomfort in his elbow after his final pitch against the Rays on Saturday.

For now, Nova has been placed on the 15-day disabled list. It hasn’t been decided if Nova will elect surgery right away or rest the arm and see if that improves it, but a tear in the UCL almost always leads to surgery.

Nova could be the latest casualty of the Tommy John epidemic that has struck several top pitchers this season. Matt Harvey (Mets), Patrick Corbin (Diamondbacks), and Matt Moore (Rays) are just a few, unfortunately.

Adam Warren, David Phelps, and Vidal Nuno are all possible replacements for Nova.

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