According to Yankees manager Joe Girardi on his weekly radio spot with Mike and the Mad Dog, an MRI today revealed that Phil Hughes‘ “strained oblique” is actually something much worse.

Hughes has a stress fracture in his ninth rib and will be shut down for four weeks while the injury heals. Assuming the 21-year-old doesn’t suffer any setbacks, he can resume throwing at that time. He’ll of course have to work his way back into pitching shape at that point, meaning it could be July before we see Phil Hughes toe the rubber for the Bombers again.

Tough, tough break for the Yanks.