Hicks' year over; may need Tommy John

DETROIT -- Aaron Hicks' season is over, and the Yankees are now pondering their next course of action concerning the outfielder, who could be facing Tommy John surgery on his ailing right elbow.

Seeking a second opinion, Hicks was examined by Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Monday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that while surgery is on the table, Hicks' situation is "still kind of a gray thing."

"We're trying to get as many smart people as we can looking at this," Boone said. "But it's frankly something that's not real clear as what the course of action should be."

Boone said that ElAttrache and Yankees team physician Christopher Ahmad could not definitively say that Hicks' ulnar collateral ligament requires surgery. Hicks was initially diagnosed with a right flexor strain after sustaining the injury while making a throw on Aug. 3.

"When you look at how they read the MRIs, it's not clear that something needs to be done," Boone said. "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, who turns 30 in October, signed a seven-year, $70 million extension this spring. He started his season late due to what was diagnosed as chronic back pain, then batted .235/.325/.443 with 12 homers and 36 RBIs in 59 games.

Trenton makes, the world takes

The Yankees continue to receive positive reports from Double-A Trenton, where Jordan Montgomery, Dellin Betances and Stephen Tarpley all pitched in the Thunder's 6-2 victory over Bowie in Tuesday's Game 1 of the Eastern League Championship Series.

Tarpley, who picked up the win with a scoreless fifth inning, is en route to Detroit and will be added to the active roster on Thursday. Montgomery allowed two runs (one earned) in three innings, while Betances pitched a scoreless inning and could appear for Trenton again on Thursday.

"We just want to see him continue to build up," Boone said of Betances. "He's not all the way back to where he would want to be or we would want him to be. But we feel like it was another big step forward for him, and if we can continue to build him up while we have the opportunity down there, we'll do that."

Luis Severino is starting on Wednesday and is expected to be added to the Major League roster for the upcoming homestand, potentially to start on Tuesday against the Angels. Montgomery should also be in New York before the end of the season, though Boone said the club had not decided when the left-hander would be added.

Comeback trail

Giancarlo Stanton (right PCL strain) continues to work out at the Yanks' complex in Tampa, Fla. Boone said that the club is optimistic that Stanton will be able to play some outfield when he rejoins the big league squad on the upcoming homestand.

Trainer's room

Tommy Kahnle was unavailable in Tuesday's 12-11 loss to the Tigers due to right wrist tendinitis. Boone said that he watched Kahnle play catch on Wednesday and believes the right-hander is close to being past his issue. He last pitched on Saturday in Boston.

This date in Yankees history

Sept. 11, 2009: Derek Jeter broke Lou Gehrig's franchise record of 2,721 hits with a third-inning single off the Orioles' Chris Tillman at Yankee Stadium. Gehrig had held the mark since Sept. 6, 1937.