The Yankees announced on Friday that they’ve placed outfielder Aaron Hicks on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right intercostal muscle. He’ll join fellow outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury (right oblique strain) and Clint Frazier (concussion) on the disabled list. Outfield prospect Billy McKinney has been recalled from Triple-A in place of Hicks.
Hicks, 28, went 2-for-4 in his season debut yesterday and didn’t appear to suffer an injury over the course of the game, making today’s announcement somewhat of a surprise. The Yankees clearly have plenty of depth from which to draw, though the injuries to Frazier and Ellsbury, combined with the late-spring trade of Jake Cave, have thinned out their outfield ranks to an extent. With Hicks on the shelf, the Yankees can use Brett Gardner in center and play Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the corners.
[Related: Updated New York Yankees depth chart]
New York is counting on Hicks for a strong performance in 2018 after breaking out in an injury-shortened 2017 season. Last year, the switch-hitting former first-rounder slashed a hefty .266/.372/.475 with 15 homers and 10 steals in 361 plate appearances over the life of 88 games. Oblique strains on both his right and left sides hampered him, but he nonetheless demonstrated enough for the Yankees to consider him their primary center fielder heading into 2018.
McKinney will join the team in Toronto and make his big league debut if and when he gets into a game. The former first-round pick came to the Yankees alongside Gleyber Torres in the trade that sent Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs at the 2016 non-waiver deadline. Now 23 years of age, McKinney restored some of the prospect status he lost in a poor 2016 season by hitting .277/.338/.483 in the upper minors last season. He has experience at all three outfield spots but has spent more time in the corners recently in addition to getting his feet wet at first base in 2017.
That didn’t take long
And it’s just beginning.
Please old wise one explain to us the beginning of what.
Well the Yankees seem to have trouble keeping some of their players healthy. They also get an injury prone Stanton for a really long time.
Take a look at his history of injuries and you can see the word “prone” doesn’t apply. Reading is fundamental!
Prone seems reflective of exactly what I meant.
None of the Yankee injuries are long term. They’re using the 10 day DL to their advantage, that’s all. Ellsbury isn’t even injured, he’s playing in games, and can be called up in five days. They placed him on the DL because they didn’t have room for him on the opening day roster.
Hicks’ injury is also something he could play through if it was necessary. But it isn’t, because the Yankees have the best depth in the majors.
Clint Frazier is about two weeks away…from triple A, because there’s no room for him on the 25 man. Only actual injury is Bird, and the Walker/Austin platoon is quite adequate replacement, for six weeks.
What kind of injury is he “prone to”, and why? Are you arguing that he got hit in the face because he’s “prone to it”?
Only thing Stanton is “prone to” is hitting homers. Lots and lots of them.
You seem to be downplaying things re their injuries. And how did you conclude that the Yankees have “the best depth in the majors“?
And please do not tell me as your evidence that they have the best farm system. Having a good or even very good farm system is not at all necessarily commensurate with depth for the majors.
Yes it is when you have multiple players that can step in. Jealousy is an ugly color to wear bro.
Wow that really cleared things up. Thanks for your descriptive analysis.
It sure is. Last night they crushed the Blue Jays, but it’s only one win.
99 to go to 100. Only question is, do they get there before or after September 15.
“yankees have too many OFers”
I think they will be ok. Plenty of depth there and the injuries shouldn’t be long lasting anyways.
That’s out no where. Hopefully just needs the 10 days. Nice to see billy get a shot but damn outfield depth is taking a hit.
Yankees radio broadcast talking yesterday about how hard he worked on getting his core ready and one game in he’s hurt…
Specifically, he overtrained his core
Not his outer core, which obliques are
McKinney looked better than Hicks all spring. He deserves a shot.
Hicks is more of a proven commodity. He is also an elite defender. McKinney deserves a shot as a FILL IN but he doesn’t deserve a shot over Hicks. Not at all.
McKinney doesn’t even play center field. He wasn’t called up to replace Hicks.
Gardner’s going to fill in in CF for four games. Then Ellsbury for the Baltimore series, and Hicks will probably be back for the Boston series.
McKinney might get a start or two in left field, and come in as a defensive replacement in the ninth a couple of times.
Oh please don’t put Jacoby DIngleberry in a game. Keep him on the DL all year, Don’t let Dingleberry get in a game, keep him on the bench or DL.
Make that slimeball ride the pines until he gets slivers in his assss.
He looked better in spring than Mike Trout, too. Maybe the Angels should make a trade, huh?
Where are all the Ells haters now? Don’t we wish we had him?
I’m not an ellsbury hater but no, not really. Rather see young guys get opportunities
Aren’t you kinda proving their point right now? Yankees need him, and he’s hurt.
It’s more a question of where are the Ellsbury likers. Are there any?
I like Ellsbury. He seems like a good dude and hes really not as bad as people make him out to be. Drastically overpaid, yes, but better than a lot of OF’s.
We do have him. He’s playing in the minors.
Np Gardie to center. Johnny carload plays left
probably not on toronto turf, because yankees like to baby their stars
Can you give examples of how WE baby our stars ?
Joba, who was never as big as either of the statcast smashers.
Look at this clown…. he describes himself as WE and Our when talking about the Yankees. Yanks fans make me laugh..
Lmao. Do you honestly believe only Yankee fans do that? ALL fan bases do that.
We’re laughing at you not with you Richard. Oh it looks like the monitors don’t like cheap profanity.
All fans do that douche !
When you’re paying them tens of millions of years, it’s called protecting your investment.
I think the Yanks are fine. Between McKinney’s call-up, Stanton getting a few games in left, Frazier returning in a week or two, and Florial’s potential arrival late in the year, there’s not much to worry about long term.
But this is just more proof that you can never have too many players, and calls to trade the farm because of a crowded outfield were a bit premature.
That’s a pipe dream on Florial being that close.
Assuming he plays well, Florial will move on to AAA sometime this year, nothing beyond that. Just speaking for myself, I hope he stays in Trenton for at least half the season so I can watch him play a few times.
Yeah I think Florial is at least 2 years away. I don’t think the Yanks will feel pressed to rush him.
Even though I am a Jay’s fan, I enjoy watching the Yankee juggernaut roll over the Jays. Time to fire Atkins and reassign Shapiro. Can we]the Jays] hire Brian Cashman? Please? Huh, Please?
Hahahah not unless they prepared to pay him like 15 mil a year. I think the jays will be better then people think. It’s a good rotation.
Jays rotation is only good on paper. We saw the true 35 yr old Happ last night for 4& 2/3rds. Estrada has to prove to me he can get over 55 innings with 10 starts in a row with a hieriented disk. Sanchez finger has not proven itself either with 5-10 starts in a row. Stroman is a good #2 and Garcia is a #4. No ace, no reliable #3. No depth in the minors except one guy down there can pitch[Pearson].
Sorry higgy, going to have to disagree on the quality of the Jays rotation. Out of the playoff race by the deadline.
Fyre adcans
Uhh, take it cheesey, cuck.
Yankees are going to have to play Stanton, Judge, and Gardner. Don’t know how they are going to manage.
Not sure if this is sarcasm or not, but Gardner and Judge are above average defenders (though Gardner is probably average in CF). Likely will only be a short time period.
Sarcasm…
(woosh) the sound of something flying over his head.
Gardner “above average” defender?
2017, He was arguably the best defensive LF in the game. Sure, he’s getting older, but you underrate Gardy’s D, MB. Elite Defense— +20 DRS, +6.8 UZR in OF. Among all LF: #1 DRS (+17), and #2 UZR (+7.1) in 2017.
fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=lf&stats=fld&#…
Ells, Stanton and Hicks… probably 200 dl games between them this year.
Just like the Bird article you tried to troll…pathetic
With their injury histories, it’s really not that unrealistic of a number
If people aren’t aware, Tyler Wade can play outfield and McKinney has played a lot last season at first base.
Wade probably isn’t a CF though. In a pinch, sure. They’re temporarily a little thin in center. This would be prime mason Williams/Jake cave time but you know I think this won’t hurt very much.
I think Wade would only be an emergency OFer.
Wade played in th AFL primarily as an outfielder and received only positive reviews. He’s super fast, so it’s easy to picture it working out to some extent.
McKinney didn’t start playing some first until the AFL.
Brandon Drury can also play outfield.
If total disaster strikes, we’ll have to bring up The Andujar or Torres.
Bring up Torres he can’t be any worse than Tyler Wade. Wade can’t hit. He’s a weak bat. The Yankees are really weak at 2nd base. Wade shot his wad in spring training he’s back to his old self like he was last year.
McKinney has never played 1b in a minor league game. Just the AFL and ST so we’re talking 20-30 games if that much.
Hicks, Ellsbury, Frazier, and Bird. Nice way for the Yankees to start the season. Before long Stanton will join them.
And they will still either win the division or finish with the first WC pal. It’s not how you start but how you finish…OMFG
You know we’re back to old fashioned yankee baseball when the trolls emerge from under the bridge.
Bald Vinny is actually #Goblins a long standing troll to Yankees fans.
Hopefully instead of Stanton it will be Judge. Judge is stinking up the place. Last year was a fluke. I doubt Judge will hit more than 20 home runs this year.
I’ll bet you any amount of money that you want to bet that Judge hits MORE than 20 HR’s this year !
Frankly, I’m looking forward to watching Billy McKinney. I hope he makes the most of this opportunity.
Yea me to,just hate to see it come like this.
Sadly, about the only way a kid can break into this lineup is via injury or trade. I was hopeful Andujar would be retained, but then the Yankees grabbed 2 established MLB ballplayers to push him back to AAA. It may be the right moves, but I really believe Andujar is ready to cover 3B. His bat was ready 2 years ago.
Yeah, Steve if they put Andujar at third they can move Drury to 2nd base and send Tyler Wade down to triple A. Wade is not ready to play in the major leagues. His defense is great but he can’t hit big league pitching.
You’re judging that on 58 at bats last year? Did you think Judge couldn’t hit after his first 84 at bats in 2016?
Yea this guy seems to be trolling
I’m a Yankee hater but will be pulling for them tonight since Billy is my childhood best friend’s younger half-brother.
@ Rett
On his mother’s side or his father’s side?
I made a joke yesterday that he ran out for the opening day ceremonies and pulled a hammy as he hit first. This guy is a joke and is never healthy. But Hey we got Booneyyyyy if he cant fo it none can.
Too many injuries in today’s game. They must be training too hard. McKinney looked good in the spring, he can do some damage in the East with all the hitters parks.
Yea he was a touted guy. I just am not a fan of the Cashman show and that hire. Never saw a team kf the yankees caliber hiring a guy with 0 coaching experience and I dont wanna hear about the bs thing s out the family. Cash didnt like joe because joe wasn’t a puppet. This should be his team.
The boss… He is surely missed…
Amazed how quickly these studs break down.
im sure you wouldnt last very long either. they are human, after all
slightly good news: hes only going to be shut down for 3 days and resume baseball activities from there according to various reports. He shouldnt be gone for too long
Lol Hicks and bird are a calamity
Why are you even here?
I love yankee haters! They love to talk but can’t back any of it up. Half the time they just make stuff up! Keep on hating and we’ll keep on winning!
Might be a landing spot for Trayce Thompson
Update: Hicks fought to keep playing, he thinks he can play. And he will only be shut down for three days, before resuming baseball activities…and likely be back in 10 days.
Also, his replacement, McKinney, is batting a thousand right now.
I hope McKinney does well. Then we’ll have TWO good young outfielders in the wings. McKinney and Clint Frazier. Then a possible superstar outfielder Flroial shouldn’t be too far down the road. maybe 2020..