New York Yankees’ slugger Aaron Hicks has been sidelined since early August with a right flexor strain. The 29-year-old will avoid getting Tommy John surgery, but was told by a doctor in California that he needs a few more weeks to rest which will likely end his season. Dr. Neal ElAttrache recommended that he rest before getting reevaluated in a few weeks. This “rest-and-rehab” method will hopefully help Hicks to avoid getting surgery.
“Surgery certainly would be on the table,” said manager Aaron Boone. “I wouldn’t even call it likely. It’s very much up in the air with how he responds.”
Hicks had begun a throwing program which ultimately proved that he needed more time to recover. He was shut down again just days after the program began.
“Yeah, even if it’s ultimately not surgery, the clock’s against him now,” Boone said Wednesday. “We have a lot of good players out there. We’ll be all right.”
Without Hicks, the outfield will primarily be left to Brett Gardner, Cameron Maybin, Aaron Judge, and Clint Frazier. Giancarlo Stanton is expected to make a return from the injured list soon as well. There have also been talks that Tyler Wade could see some more time in the outfield now in Hicks’ absence.
Hicks signed a 7 year / $70,000,000 contract with the New York Yankees this year.
Aaron Hicks is presumably out for the year with his elbow injury. Six years, $60 million left on that contract. The monetary value makes it easier to swallow and everyone knows how good Hicks can be when healthy, but man does that contact look suspect now
— Dan Federico (@DanJFederico) September 11, 2019
This season Hicks is batting .235 with 12 home runs and 36 runs batted in. Fans remember his spectacular game earlier this year against the Minnesota Twins when he hit the go-ahead home run and superman-dove to catch the final out. Hicks’ defensive and offensive production will be missed by the Yankees heading into the postseason.