How Yankees’ Aroldis Chapman, Aaron Hicks were doing morning after early exit

by Felix Pantaleón

Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman and center fielder Aaron Hicks were removed from Saturday’s game in Toronto due to leg injuries.

TORONTO— One of the first things Yankees manager Aaron Boone did Sunday morning was check up on two players who were pulled from Saturday’s 8-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays due to injuries that right away were thought to be minor.

The updates were good.

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Just as Boone hoped and suspected, all is well with both center fielder Aaron Boone, who left in the fifth inning with cramps in his left leg, and closer Aroldis Chapman, who faced just one batter in the ninth due to more discomfort than usual from his seven-week battle with left knee tendinitis.

The bigger concern, Chapman already was pain free by Sunday and likely available to pitch in the Yankees’ series finale with the Jays.

“He said he feels better this morning,” Boone said. “I think this is something that he’ll likely deal with most of the year and something that from a maintenance standpoint they’ll stay on top of, but it sounds like he’ll probably be an option for us today.”

Sticking with his Saturday prediction, Boone opted to keep Hicks out of Sunday’s lineup as a precaution, as starting left fielder Brett Gardner moved to center while Clint Frazier got the start in left.

“Aaron Hicks is doing well,” Boone said. “He feels good. He’ll be an option (to come off the bench Sunday). We’ll try to stay away from him, but he’s hot. I view him as an option.”

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