The Yankees’ Brett Gardner suffered an elbow injury making a diving catch in April. It didn’t appear too bad at first, but he couldn’t swing a bat, which delayed even attempting that until late May.

At last, he was sent on a rehab assignment last week, but problems happened there. New York Daily News:

Gardner began a rehab assignment with Single-A Charleston Friday night and went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base. But when Gardner woke up Saturday morning, the pain in his right elbow had returned and that was not good news in Yankeeville.

“He woke up and had pain so he’s going to see the doctor on Monday again,” Joe Girardi said. “Obviously it’s a setback, and I’m not sure when we’ll see him now.

Brian Cashman said Gardner will see Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday and Dr. Tim Kremchek in Cincinnati on Thursday.

Here’s the result of those doctor visits:

Gardner got a PRP injection today. Out 3-4 more weeks. Docs find that elbow injury simply hadn’t healed.

— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) June 14, 2012

PRP is “platelet-rich plasma”; supposedly this speeds healing. At three to four more weeks, Gardner likely won’t see any action until after the All-Star break.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have taken over first place without him, so they surely won’t rush him back.