NEW YORK (WFAN) – Brett Gardner’s return to the Yankees will have to wait.

The outfielder, who has been out with a strained right elbow, had a setback in his rehab, manager Joe Girardi said following Thursday’s 5-3 win over Tampa Bay.

Gardner suffered swelling after his Triple-A game Wednesday night and an MRI showed further strain to the elbow. The Yankees originally hoped to have him back for the finale against the Rays.

“I don’t know when we’re going to get him back (exactly),” said Girardi.

Gardner won’t be able to swing a bat for at least 10 days.

“The muscle that he strained, that healed,” said Girardi. “He re-strained it, is basically what it is. We are going to go without Gardy for a while here. It’s very unfortunate.”

Girardi estimated Gardner may be out an additional 15 to 25 days, but didn’t believe it would be “like, a three-month thing.”

“We miss him,” Girardi said. “There’s no doubt about it. The way he was swinging the bat, his defense, the way he puts pressure on defense. We miss his presence in left field. We’ve got to find a way to get it done without him.”

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