Center Field Concerns

With a Yankee late inning comeback -- after an earlier laser home run by Aaron Judge -- dominating news from Yankee camp, another items deserves more attention... and concern.

Center fielder Aaron Hicks, who's missed more than a week with back tightness, had a cortisone shot on Tuesday. That's a strong indication that his issue not only isn't improving, but his status for opening day could be in jeopardy.

While possessing those highly sought "five tools," Hicks never put it all together over a full season until 2018. That production convinced the club that he was worth extending -- leading to the seven year, $70 million extension announced a few weeks ago.

But this is also a brittle player who has never played 140 games in a season, and is on the shelf 15 days from the season opener. Could Brian Cashman be suffering from buyer's remorse?

On the other hand, the Yanks have an easy schedule to begin 2019, including nine games with the weakling Tigers and Orioles. So perhaps, being down Hicks and pitching ace Luis Severino won't hurt as much as when they see Houston, Boston and Cleveland in the other dugout.

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