Aaron Hicks, the New York Yankees’ latest long-term investment, skipped work with back stiffness on Sunday.
The New York Yankees just gave Aaron Hicks a hefty raise. In return, he gave them an early spring injury scare.
Hicks advised the Bombers of his stiff back on Saturday, and the team kept him out of action on Sunday.
New York manager Aaron Boone doesn’t think the injury is a big deal, though.
“I’m not anticipating any problems,” he told the New York Post’s Ken Davidoff and George A. King III.
The 29-year-old centerfielder put his John Hancock on a seven-year, $70 million extension in February. Therefore, his employers aren’t messing around when it comes to his health.
[membership level="0"] [/membership].@Yankees sign OF Aaron Hicks to 7-year extension with club option for 2026. pic.twitter.com/sHCcBot1Ob
— MLBRosterMoves (@MLBRosterMoves) February 25, 2019
Spring training has otherwise been relatively injury free for the Yankees so far. The only player besides Hicks to go down is Jacoby Ellsbury, but he’s been out since 2017.
In 2018, Hicks posted career highs in just about every offensive category, including 27 home runs and 79 RBI. The California native even placed 22nnd in the 2018 MVP voting, according to Baseball Reference.
Hicks is 2-for-9 this spring, with two doubles and one RBI.
If he were to miss time, the Yankees would certainly miss his switch-hitting bat in the middle—or even at the top—of their righty-heavy lineup.
The Bombers have a day off on Monday, which gives Hicks an extra day to get his back feeling right. Check for his name in the lineup on Tuesday, when the Yankees welcome the Atlanta Braves to Tampa at 1:05 p.m. (ET).
