Rodriguez will try to play with torn hip labrum

Alex Rodriguez will attempt to play this season with an injured right hip, hoping to avoid surgery and a four-month rehabilitation period.

A cyst in the hip was drained Wednesday, and the New York Yankees third baseman will skip playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Still, he has a torn labrum that might need an operation.

“There’s two courses of action concerning what he has,” Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said Thursday from Tampa, Fla. “There is treat it conservatively, which would imply rest, exercise and treatment. Or you can treat it aggressively, which is by surgery. At this point in time, we are going to go the conservative route.”

The diagnosis by Dr. Marc Philippon, in Vail, Colo., was yet another jolt to Rodriguez during a tumult-filled one-month span in which the three-time American League most valuable player admitted using banned drugs in 2001-03 while with the Texas Rangers.

Earlier Thursday, ESPNdeportes.com reported that Rodriguez’s brother, Joe Dunand, said the slugger was going to have surgery, with a projected 10-week recovery time.

“If at some point it’s not working and it’s a problem, then the other one becomes more of a choice,” Cashman said. “Right now, the route we’re going is conservative.”

Cashman said Rodriguez’s preference was to try rest and treatment first, but that off-season surgery might be an option.

Cashman said the team hopes the cyst was the cause of stiffness that had bothered the 12-time All-Star and caused him to see Philippon.

Rodriguez was to undergo additional tests in Colorado today.

Roberts released

The San Francisco Giants released veteran outfielder Dave Roberts, a surprise move that could cost them $6.5 million this season.

The 36-year-old Roberts signed a three-year, $18-million contract with the Giants in 2007 but played only 166 games in his first two seasons because of elbow and knee injuries. He entered camp this spring as the fifth outfielder behind starters Fred Lewis, Aaron Rowand and Randy Winn, and young prospect Nate Schierholtz.

“It’s a surprising blow. I have to rebound from this. I was expecting to see this thing through. I love the makeup of this ballclub. I really wanted to be a part of things,” Roberts said.

Etc.

Left-hander Dennys Reyes and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to $3-million, two-year contract. . . . Colorado Rockies setup man Taylor Buchholz will sit out at least a month because of a sprained ligament in his throwing elbow. . . . Seattle Mariners right-hander Brandon Morrow will miss his next scheduled start after complaining of stiffness in his pitching forearm.