Report: Yankees' Whitley has torn UCL, may need season-ending Tommy John surgery

The New York Yankees braced for bad news after Chase Whitley was removed from Thursday's start due to elbow pain, and a subsequent MRI ensured the 25-year-old won't return to the rotation for a while.

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that Whitley has a torn UCL and will seek a second opinion before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Removed in the second inning of Thursday's outing against the Tampa Bay Rays with discomfort in his elbow, Whitley was officially placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with what the team described as an elbow sprain.

Whitley, who owns a 4.19 ERA over four starts since joining the rotation on April 28, had been dealing with elbow pain but did not disclose it to the training staff.

"I have no regrets about it," Whitley told reporters. "I want to pitch."

Chris Capuano, who opened the season on the disabled list due to a right quad strain, is expected to grab Whitley's spot in the rotation. The 36-year-old left-hander allowed two earned runs over six innings Tuesday for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in his second Triple-A rehab start.

With four games remaining before Capuano's expected debut, the Yankees recalled right-hander Jose Ramirez from Triple-A to take Whitley's spot on the roster, giving Joe Girardi an extra bullpen arm for the next few days.

The Yankees' rotation is already without Masahiro Tanaka, who remains on the disabled list with a strained right forearm and tendinitis in his wrist. Ivan Nova, meanwhile, continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery and is expected to make his regular-season debut in late June or early July.