The New York Yankees could be getting centerfielder Aaron Hicks back earlier than originally expected.
A delayed 2020 Major League Baseball season has allowed New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks to progress remarkably well following Tommy John surgery at the end of last year. If there’s any indication of his progress, look no further than the recent batting-practice snippet from the centerfielder’s Instagram story.
Aaron Hicks has returned to @GMSField, and it looks like his recovery from Tommy John surgery is going well.
BP video via @AaronHicks31’ Instagram story: pic.twitter.com/0NqjPD4ZkF
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) June 18, 2020
Hicks has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his four-year tenure in New York. Nonetheless, his recent procedure to repair the UCL in his throwing arm was cause for the most concern. A typical recovery is estimated at around a year’s time. But after just eight months, Hicks seems to be inching closer to mashing home run balls over the left field fence again.
Teammates such as Gleyber Torres and Jordan Montgomery have gone under the knife to repair the damaged ligament, but Hicks has shown tremendous recovery speed since his October 2019 surgery. The swing looks flawless, and Hicks shows no true signs of grimace or fatigue in the brief preview of his post-TJS swing.
Maybe the delayed campaign is helping Hicks focus more on one-on-one training and rehab. If the season was currently happening, he would possibly feel forced to make a rushed return. One thing is for certain though: whenever the season does begin, it looks like the Yanks could have a fixture in their lineup earlier than expected.
Last year, Hicks notched 12 home runs and 36 RBIs with a .235/.325/.443 slash line in 59 games.
