Yankees' Hicks expected to return Monday

The New York Yankees expect to have center fielder Aaron Hicks back on the active roster when they open a six-game homestand against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.

Hicks, who slugged 27 home runs in 137 games last season, both career highs, hasn't played in 2019 due to a back injury he sustained in early March.

"The idea is we're planning on him being back (Monday)," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, according to MLB.com.

Hicks, who has played six seasons in the majors, the last three with the Yankees, played three games with New York's class-A affiliate in Tampa last week, and went 0-for-11 in three games.

On Thursday, Hicks took batting practice at Yankee Stadium before New York's game against the Mariners, but he told the team he needed more time to work on his swing, pushing his big-league return back to this week.

"I just need to get more swings,'' Hicks said at the time, according to the New York Post, adding that his back felt fine. "I'm headed in the right direction."

Instead of going with the Yankees for their three-game series in Tampa against the Rays over the weekend, he played two games with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 3-for-7 with a home run, a double, four runs scored and a stolen base. Sunday's game was postponed.

Hicks, 29, is a career .236 hitter with 70 home runs and 240 RBIs in 595 games.

Brett Gardner played center in Hicks' absence, hitting .199 with six home runs, 14 RBIs and four stolen bases in 37 games.

The Yankees trail the Rays by one-half game heading into Monday.

--Field Level Media