How early departing Aaron Hicks, Aroldis Chapman were feeling after Yankees win

Center fielder Aaron Hicks departed the Yankees’ win in Toronto on Saturday in the fifth inning with a leg issue while closer Aroldis Chapman was forced out in the ninth due to a sore knee.

TORONTO — Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks was attempting to break up a double play with a hard slide into second base Saturday when something in his left leg didn’t feel right.

Out of nowhere, the switch-hitter cramped up in the fourth inning of the Yankees’ 8-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

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An inning later, Clint Frazier was inserted for Hicks.

It was that kind of day for the Yankees, who also pulled closer Aroldis Chapman after one batter in the ninth due to reoccurring left knee soreness that was more painful than usual.

Right when these leg issues popped up, Yankees manager Aaron Boone was hopeful that neither was a big deal and after the game he felt the same.

Here’s what Boone said about Hicks:

“He feels like he’s OK. We’ll probably give him (Sunday off) with the doubleheader coming (Monday in Baltimore), but we don’t think it’s too serious. Just a little tightness.”

And here’s what Boone said about Chapman.

“Similar (knee) stuff. I think he’s OK. It’s just with the four-run lead, I didn’t want to take any chances with it. He said he was fine to continue, but I just didn’t want to mess with it.”

Hicks said he was “better now already” while talking to reporters at this locker, but Chapman was feeling “a little bit” of discomfort during his post-game interview.

Chapman’s issue is the bigger concern. Even though he’s having a great season and is a lock to be selected to the American League All-Star team when rosters are announced Sunday, the left-hander has been pitching with left knee tendinitis since mid-May.

Previously, it usually flared up when Chapman walked or ran, but he felt it while pitching for the first time on Saturday.

Boone noticed something was wrong by the way Chapman reacted to striking out the first hitter he faced after entering in the ninth, Blue Jays right fielder Randal Grichuk.

“Maybe just a little more slower moving,” Boone said. “It just kind of got our radar up, so we just went out there and checked on him. He said, ‘It’s just a little sore, but I’m fine.’ I just decided then, especially with an out and the (three-run) lead, I thought it was best to get him out.”

Boone also was just playing it safe with Hicks, who is hitting .259 with 16 homers and 42 RBIs in 69 games while playing his usual stellar defense in center.

“He’s so important to us obviously with that switch-hitter flexibility that he gives us in our lineup,” Boone said. “Hopefully it’s just something where he’s down for a day and then available for the doubleheader. No MRI at this point. We feel like we dodged it. If we feel like we need to go down that road we will, but I think (Sunday) will tell us a lot.”

The expectation is that Hicks will be ready for Monday.

As for Chapman, it’s likely that he’ll get a few days of rest to calm down his knee, which probably won’t be completely healed until the offseason. Meantime, the Yankees’ athletic staff has been trying to strengthen Chapman’s knee with treatment that includes exercises, electricity therapy and laser therapy.

So far, Chapman has been able to be very effective pitching through his knee tendinitis, as he’s 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA in 39 games with 24 saves in 25 chances and 66 strikeouts in 38 innings.

“I think the good thing about it is how well he’s pitched with it all year,” Boone said. “So I don’t think there’s much that’s changed with it. Obviously it’s something that we watch with him very closely and he’s constantly staying on top of it.

“But I don’t think (Saturday’s issue) is anything too extreme to what he’s been dealing with for much of the year. It was more me getting him out of there because of the score.”

Chapman doesn’t seem too worried.

“Just a little more discomfort today than what I have usually been feeling the last couple of weeks,” he said. “That’s the way I see it. We’ll keep going day by day and keep doing the rehab work with the trainers and hopefully I’ll keep getting better.

“Day by day is the focus. Go day by day and see how I feel tomorrow.”

Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.