The Yankees have announced the MRI results on ace pitcher Chien-Ming Wang and they ain’t pretty.  Wang has been diagnosed with a mid-foot sprain of the Lisfranc ligament and a partial tear of the peroneal longus tendon and will be laid up for at least six weeks.

Remember, Wang won’t be doing any throwing during this span, so you can tack another 4 weeks onto that time table.  I wouldn’t expect the Wanginator back on the mound before September, which means the Bombers need an arm badly.

Or do they?  With the offense suddenly clicking, can the Yanks survive with a rotation of Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina, Joba Chamberlain, Darrell Rasner and, say, Dan Giese?  Remember, Ian Kennedy, recovering from a strained lat, has begun throwing off the mound and could be back with the team after a rehab start or two.  Phil Hughes is still probably six weeks away from returning.

Meanwhile the injury to Wang raises two questions: A) Does interleague play put American League pitchers at a disproportionate risk of injury?  And B) Will the Yankees remain patient with their young rotation or will they be forced to deal a young asset in exchange for a starting pitcher?

On his LoHud blog yesterday, Journal News’ beat reporter Pete Abraham mentioned C.C. Sabathia, Freddy Garcia, Rich Harden and Randy Wolf as potential “long-term solutions” in the rotation.  Of that foursome, I’d be most surprised if the Yanks went after Garcia, a veteran free agent rehabbing from a serious shoulder injury.  Wolf would cost the least, but his numbers in San Diego won’t translate well to the AL East. Sabathia and Harden, meanwhile, would each cost Cashman a king’s ransom.

One thing is certain: The Yanks can’t count on getting anything out of their ace for the rest of the regular season, if not beyond.