NEW YORK – Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks will have surgery for a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist that could sideline him for the rest of the season.
Hicks will be out for months, New York manager Aaron Boone acknowledged Friday, but he didn't want to speculate about whether the switch hitter has a chance to return this year until after the operation.
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“It’s going to be a while,” Boone said.
Hicks was scheduled to fly on Saturday back to Arizona, where he will have the procedure.
The 31-year-old Hicks is batting .194 with four homers, 14 RBIs and a .627 OPS in 32 games. He was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday, retroactive to May 13, and the club initially tried to treat the injury with medicine — knowing if that wasn't effective, Hicks likely would need surgery.
“I don't think he's in a lot of pain, but he feels it,” Boone said. “It doesn't allow him to swing the bat the way he needs to.”
Brett Gardner started in center field Friday night as the Yankees opened a home series against the Chicago White Sox, who arrived in town with the best record in the American League.
Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is also on the IL with a left quadriceps strain, and Boone said he'd rather keep Aaron Judge in right field.
Center fielder Ryan LaMarre was promoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after Hicks went down, but subsequently hurt his hamstring and landed on the injured list.
“We’ll just have to figure it out on the fly a little bit,” Boone said.
Touted prospect Estevan Florial, who made his major league debut last year, could be a long-term option in center.
“He's certainly in play, and we're very comfortable with him as far as from the coaching staff's standpoint. We've been with him a lot. We know him well. So, we'll cross that bridge if we have to at some point," Boone said. “But nothing is imminent there.”
Meanwhile, corner outfielder Clint Frazier (neck) was out of the starting lineup again after missing the previous three games.
In the afternoon, Boone said Frazier told the staff he was ready to play. But first, he was scheduled to meet with team physicians before the game.
Pitching coach Matt Blake and first base coach Reggie Willits returned to the team. They had been away after testing positive for COVID-19.
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