New York Yankees left fielder Aaron Hicks will miss the remainder of the postseason due to a left knee injury.
Hicks exited Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians following a collision with rookie shortstop Oswaldo Cabrera in the third inning on Tuesday. An MRI revealed that Hicks’ injury will take six weeks to heal.
“I want to be a part of it and I’m now no longer going to be able to play on the field to help this team win,” Hicks said. “I just gotta watch from the sidelines.”
With one out, Steven Kwan hit a fly ball that drifted toward the left field line.
Cabrera and third baseman Josh Donaldson ran back in an attempt to make the play. Donaldson appeared to initially call for the ball, but Cabrera kept running. Cabrera then called for the ball, but it went off his glove as he collided with Hicks. Cabrera’s left arm sent Hicks tumbling face-first into foul territory and Hicks was lifted after walking gingerly in the outfield.
Hicks was replaced by Marwin Gonzalez in left field. Gonzalez struck out in his lone at-bat before the Yankees had Matt Carpenter pinch-hit for Gonzalez in the sixth. Cabrera then moved from shortstop to left and Isiah Kiner-Falefa entered at shortstop.
Hicks was in the starting lineup for the second straight game when the Yankees shifted Cabrera from left to shortstop to replace a struggling Kiner-Falefa. He was 0-for-1 before leaving.
Hicks, who underwent left wrist surgery in May 2021, batted .216 with eight homers and 40 RBIs in 130 games during the regular season.
In two postseason games, he went 0-for-3 with a walk.
The Yankees defeated Cleveland 5-1 on Tuesday and will face the Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series. It will be New York’s 18th ALCS appearance in franchise history and its third in the last six years.
–Field Level Media
