Yankees place outfielders Aaron Hicks, Billy McKinney on disabled list

TORONTO -- After three games, the New York Yankees' once-crowded outfield is suddenly thin after placingAaron HicksandBilly McKinney on the disabled list on consecutive days.

The injuries have led manager Aaron Boone to do some early-season juggling, withAaron Judge playing center field and Giancarlo Stantonright field Saturday.

After Hicks went on the disabled list Friday with an intercostal strain, McKinney -- making his first big league start -- sprained his shoulder Saturday.

He was replaced in left field by Brett Gardner, and the team announced after the game that Miguel Andujar was being recalled fromTriple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

If all goes according to the Yankees' now stepped-up plans regarding injured outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (oblique), by the end of next week, he could rejoin the team, putting an end to further outfield movement involving Stanton and Judge.

Ellsbury, who went on the 10-day DL retroactive to Monday, will be available at the earliest next Thursday when the Yankees host the Baltimore Orioles. He's currently still at the team's spring training facility in Tampa, Florida, appearing in minor league games as he attempts to work his way to about 55 spring training at-bats.

General manager Brian Cashman said he likely wouldn't get those full 55 at this stage, given the lack of outfield depth.

"We're not in a perfect world," Cashman said. "So this will necessitate us taking him when he's physically ready, but maybe not totally finished off."

The hope is that Hicks would return from his right intercostal muscle strain (the muscle is part of the rib cage) a week from Sunday. An MRI revealed he had a Grade 1 strain, the lowest classification of such an injury. The switch-hitting outfielder also said pain wasn't an issue for him with this injury, unlike a similar oblique problem that cost him much of last season.

Hicks now will take three days off before resuming baseball activity with the goal of getting back in the lineup seven days after that.

His injury forced the Yankees to recall McKinney from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. McKinney torched his way through big league spring training, tying for the team lead with five home runs and 13 RBIs.