Yankees: With Aaron Hicks to DL, Jacoby Ellsbury gets his job back

Another game, another injury. At least that’s the way it seems for the Yankees as Aaron Hicks will be out of action for the next three-to-four weeks.

Out since May 24 with a concussion after crashing into the center field wall at Yankee Stadium, Jacoby Ellsbury will be in uniform on Monday night, as the Yankees begin a four-game series against the AL Central last place White Sox.

Ellsbury’s minor league rehab assignment was cut short following the news that Aaron Hicks would miss the next three-to-four weeks with a strained right oblique muscle.

Hicks, who was finally beginning to live up to the hype of his first round selection by the Twins back in 2008, is batting .290 with 10 home runs, 37 RBI and a .913 OPS this season.

As MLB.com reported post-game, Hicks was hopeful he’d escape a DL stint but knew something was seriously wrong following his second at-bat on Sunday afternoon.

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“I didn’t really think too much of it,” Hicks said of the pain in his side he felt in his first at-bat. “I thought I could play through it. My second at-bat, I took a swing on a base-hit up the middle, that’s when I really felt it.”“It’s very frustrating,” Hicks said. “I want to be out there battling with my team, and now I can’t do it.”

Being immediately thrust back into action, Ellsbury will be tasked with picking up where he left off pre-concussion. In 135 at-bats this season, the 33-year-old is hitting .281 with four home runs, 14 RBI and a .349 OBP.

Before being beckoned to Chicago, Ellsbury looked effective in two games at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes/Barre — going 3-for-8 (two doubles), two RBI, five total bases and one stolen base.

Mason Williams was optioned to Scranton to create a roster spot.

Next: The 40-man roster crunch

The Yankees need a shot in the arm following a brutal stretch of games where they’ve only managed two wins in their past 12 contests. Hopefully, Ellsbury can provide a spark at the top of the lineup, while also staying healthy long enough to keep the club in contention as they determine if they’ll indeed make any roster moves before the July 31 trade deadline.