Aaron Hicks feeling lingering effects from 2019 Tommy John surgery: 'I still kind of don’t feel the same'

For Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks, there was a silver lining to the 2020 MLB season beginning in late July. The delayed start allowed the veteran to not miss any regular season action as he finished his recovery from Oct. 2019 Tommy John surgery.

The 31-year-old was able to play in 54 of the Bombers’ 60 regular season games, but he slashed just .225/.379/.414 while hitting six home runs and driving in 21 runs.

Speaking with the YES Network on Thursday evening, Hicks spoke about playing through pain all season long, saying that he still doesn’t feel fully healthy.

“I just felt like I was kind of grinding through things throughout the whole season it seemed like,” Hicks said. “You know, having a little bit of pain throwing, not really being able to fully feel like myself, having to change my swing a little bit to kind of protect my arm from hyperextending. There were just little things every now and then. I didn’t really start feeling good until towards the back end of the season, and by then it’s too late.

“I still don’t really feel 100 percent. My strength and doing all of that stuff is starting to be better and kind of work as far as strength, but I still kind of don’t feel the same.”