BOSTON -- The Yankees have moved one step closer toward restoring their outfield to full strength, activating Aaron Hicks from the 10-day disabled list prior to Thursday's game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Hicks has been shelved since sustaining a strained right intercostal muscle in the Yankees' Opening Day victory over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
"I was not excited about going on the DL, but they wanted to be cautious," Hicks said. "Now it's in the past and I'm just getting ready for this upcoming series."
In a corresponding roster move, the Yankees designated outfielder Shane Robinson for assignment. Robinson played in both of the first two games in New York's series against the Red Sox, going 1-for-3 with a stolen base.
When a player's contract is designated for assignment -- often abbreviated "DFA" -- that player is immediately removed from his club's 40-man roster, and 25-man roster if he was on that as well. Within seven days of the transaction (it was previously 10 days), the player must either be traded, released or placed on irrevocable outright waivers.
Hicks appeared in a pair of Minor League rehabilitation games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 2-for-6 with a double. The switch-hitter drove to Boston from Moosic, Pa., after playing in the RailRiders' 2-0 loss to Lehigh Valley on Tuesday.
"Everything went well," Hicks said. "I played all nine innings, got four at-bats and the swing feels good."
Blackout
The television in Austin's Boston hotel room remained off on Wednesday morning, with the infielder/outfielder opting not to tune into what he was certain would be wall-to-wall commentary of the Yankees-Red Sox fracas.
"I've tried not to pay attention to it, to be honest with you," Austin said. "It's hard not to when it's on every TV channel, but for the most part, I've tried to keep off of reading comments on social media and watching the TV."
Austin had his left elbow wrapped, one day after being drilled by Kelly's 98-mph fastball, but said that he felt fine. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that there were no injuries to report from the incident.
"We came out pretty good, actually," Boone said. "Obviously that's one of the biggest concerns you have as a manager, making sure that guys are all right. You look back at some of the replays and you see guys in the middle there hanging on for dear life. You know a lot can go wrong in those scrums when there's heated things going on."
He said it: "I think, hopefully, it's something that's behind us. We're here to play and try to get out of here hopefully with another win. I would think it's absolutely behind us." -- Boone, on Wednesday's incident