PITTSBURGH -- Pirates reliever Nick Burdi said he is “praying for the best” as he awaits the second opinion on his injured right arm next week.

Speaking to the media for the first time since he walked off the mound clutching his right biceps Monday night at PNC Park, Burdi explained the pain he felt while falling to the ground in tears after throwing a 96.7 mph fastball to Arizona’s Jarrod Dyson.

“It just felt like a pulling, kind of stabbing sensation throughout the biceps,” Burdi said Wednesday night. “I had felt something kind of tweak a few pitches previous to it, and when it went on that one pitch, I knew that something was serious. It’s just kind of the sensation you never really forget.”

Burdi said he had never felt anything like that in his biceps. The only pain he knew that could compare, he said, was when he tore his ulnar collateral ligament on May 21, 2017. Director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk called Monday a “traumatic response to a traumatic injury.”

The only silver lining this time is that Burdi wasn’t concerned about the ligament that required Tommy John surgery two years ago.

“I never really even thought about my UCL. I grabbed my biceps right away,” he said. “It was a painful sensation through there, so luckily it wasn’t the UCL. Kind of just praying for the best now.”

Burdi, who is on the 10-day injured list with right biceps/elbow pain, will visit Dr. Keith Meister early next week while the Pirates are in Arlington to play the Rangers. He underwent diagnostic tests in Pittsburgh earlier this week, and ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the initial exam revealed a strained biceps tendon and flexor mass.

The Pirates are not revealing any results until they receive what Tomczyk called the “most accurate diagnosis available” following Burdi’s visit with Meister.

“We’re taking it day by day,” Burdi said when asked if he felt any reason for optimism. “We’ll get the second opinion, and once Dr. Meister takes a look at it, we’ll go from there and see where the rehab process goes.”

Burdi will remain with the team as the Bucs travel to Los Angeles this weekend. It works out that the Pirates’ schedule will take them to Arlington, where Meister -- the Rangers’ team physician -- is based. Meister performed Burdi’s Tommy John surgery, so there is a level of familiarity there as well.

“Todd and the medical staff and I, we thought that would be the best route to go with him doing the surgery and seeing how the elbow was previously,” Burdi said. “I feel comfortable with him, as does my family.”

Burdi said he felt “all right” two nights after the injury. He still feels some soreness in his arm, which is receiving icing and anti-inflammatory treatment to manage the pain. His spirits were clearly buoyed by the support of his teammates.

“It means a lot, especially being new to the organization, new to the clubhouse,” he said. “It kind of shows the sense of brotherhood and family that we have as a team.

“This team’s going to move on with or without me. They have guys in the bullpen that are going to get the job done and pitch well. I’ll move forward, as will they. We’ll just continue the season.”

Burdi earned a great deal of respect in the Pirates’ clubhouse with his work ethic and early-season success. He finished the grueling Tommy John rehabilitation process last year, made his Major League debut in September and earned a spot on Pittsburgh’s Opening Day roster this season. The Pirates hope to eventually have him back in their bullpen.

“Nick has a really good head on his shoulders. He’s got a lot of support from his teammates, from the Pirates' organization. His head is held high. He’s optimistic,” Tomczyk said. “He’s been through a lot, so fortunately and unfortunately, he knows of the rigors of a potential long-term injury or rehab -- which we don’t know yet -- but he is very emotionally and psychologically equipped to deal with whatever he’s going to be faced with.”