New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks is tearing up extended spring training while nearing his long-awaited return to the show.
The reinforcements are coming.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks is tearing up extended spring training. Thursday, May 2, Hicks collected three hits including a double and a home run in an extended spring training game, the place where every big-league ballplayer hates to be.
Aaron Hicks homered in his first at-bat today at extended spring for #Yankees. pic.twitter.com/AHvYRxUOZN
— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) May 2, 2019
Hicks, 29, is chomping at the bit to play big-league baseball. Dealing with a back injury, the Yankees leadoff man has been sidelined since spring training.
In 2018, Hicks put together his finest MLB season. Hitting .248 while clubbing 27 home runs to go along with 79 runs batted in, New York’s centerfielder earned a long-term deal. Unfortunately, that all-too-familiar injury bug has caught up with the classy outfielder.
One-hundred and thirty-seven games mark Hicks’s career-high (accomplished last year) games played in a single campaign. Other than the 2016 season that saw him play in 123 games (his first season in the Bronx), Hicks has never hit the 100-game mark. His 97 contests in 2015 with the Minnesota Twins serves as his third-highest tally.
Elsewhere, the recently banged up DJ LeMahieu feels close to returning, perhaps as early as Friday, per Erik Boland of Newsday. The often injury-riddled Troy Tulowitzki suffered a setback while on the verge of a possible return.
In the outfield department, Clint Frazier, who’s battling an ankle sprain, did some outfield work on Wednesday, according to Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News.
After enjoying an off-day, the New York Yankees welcome in the Minnesota Twins for a three-game slate at the stadium. First pitch comes your way at 7:05 p.m. ET.
