New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks is likely to miss the rest of the season due to a right elbow injury, and he could be a candidate for Tommy John surgery.
Manager Aaron Boone told reporters Wednesday that Hicks was examined by Yankees team physician Christopher Ahmad and Los Angeles Dodgers doctor Neal ElAttrache, and neither ruled out the need for surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament.
The Yankees sought the second opinion from ElAttrache after Hicks experienced a setback last week.
“Surgery would certainly be on the table,” Boone said. “I wouldn’t even call it likely. It feels very much up in the air how he responds.
“When you look at how they read the MRIs, it’s not clear that something needs to be done. The reality is that he hasn’t responded yet to the first shutdown and how he came back. Hopefully we’ll all make the right choice in time here.”
Hicks started the season on the injured list with a back strain and was activated in mid-May. He was placed back on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 4 with what was diagnosed as a right flexor strain, and he has been sidelined ever since.
In between IL stays, he appeared in 59 games, batting .235 with 41 runs, 12 home runs and 36 RBIs.
The Yankees signed Hicks, who turns 30 in October, to a seven-year, $70 million contract extension in February.
In Hicks’ absence, Brett Gardner has been New York’s primary center fielder, with Mike Tauchman moving from left to center on occasion. Cameron Maybin was due to start in center field on Wednesday before the scheduled game at Detroit was rained out.
