Aaron Hicks (flexor strain) becomes latest Yankee to hit injured list
NEW YORK — Another day. Another New York Yankee on the injured list.
This time it’s Aaron Hicks. An MRI taken Sunday revealed Hicks has a right flexor strain. The 29-year-old centerfielder will be shut down from throwing for the next 7-10 days. There is no exact timetable for his return.
Flexor strains can be a precursor to Tommy John surgery — pitchers James Kaprielian and Jordan Montgomery are recent Yankee examples of this progression — but Yankees manager Aaron Boone believes that won’t be required in Hicks’ case.
“We were fearing the worst,” Boone said. “The fact the ligament’s intact is a good thing.”
Hicks, who missed the first 40 games of the 2019 season due to a lower back strain, suffered the flexor injury in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader while making a throw to third base.
The Yankees will play Brett Gardner and Mike Tauchman in center with Hicks out. Cameron Maybin is also capable of handling the position. The team did not give any consideration to calling up Clint Frazier from the minors — or adding another position player to the roster — with Hicks out.
“We’ll probably stay this way,” Boone said. “Right now we feel like we’re covered in how we should be.”
The Yankees also lost designated hitter/first baseman Edwin Encarnacion on Saturday due to a right wrist fracture. With Luke Voit (sports hernia) also out, DJ LeMahieu and Mike Ford will play first. Gio Urshela is also capable of handling the position.
In other injury news, catcher Gary Sanchez (left groin strain) is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment this week, and could return sometime next weekend in Toronto.
The Yankees currently have 16 players on the IL. They have had 26 different players on the IL this season, covering 32 total stints.
Hicks is in the first year of a seven-year, $70 million contract. In 59 games, he has a .769 OPS and 12 homers.
