Yanks OF Aaron Hicks to DL with ribcage injury, out 3-4 weeks

NEW YORK -- Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks will go on the disabled list after he injured his ribcage on the right side during a check swing in the first inning Sunday.

Hicks was removed from a 7-6 loss to the Texas Rangers before the fifth inning. He was told that his recovery would take three to four weeks.

Hicks was 1-for-2 in the game, lifting his average this season to .290 with a .398 on-base percentage. Hicks has 10 home runs and 37 RBIs, and general manager Brian Cashman has said that he should be an All-Star candidate.

"It's very frustrating," Hicks said. "I want to be out there battling with my team. Now I can't do that."

Manager Joe Girardi said the Yankees might activate outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury from the disabled list for a game against the Chicago White Sox on Monday. Ellsbury has been out since May 24 with a concussion but played his second minor league rehab game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday.

New York was also without second baseman Starlin Castro, who got a shot in his wrist Saturday. Girardi said the wrist has bothered Castro for six weeks, but he added that it's "not a serious injury."

"We said, let's get [the shot] because you'll get more than 24 hours [rest] in a sense, going from a day game to a night game," Girardi said.

Castro echoed that he isn't worried about missing extended time.

"It's not an issue," he said. "I want to be in the game every day. We decided to take the shot to get ready. Today I feel really good, and tomorrow I'll be ready to play."

The injuries are piling up. Designated hitter Matt Holliday was held out of the lineup Sunday due to issues stemming from an allergic reaction he had June 17 in Oakland, and left-hander CC Sabathia and first baseman Greg Bird are also still out.

Sabathia threw a 35-pitch bullpen Sunday, his first since he went on the disabled list June 15 with a left hamstring issue, and Bird ran on the field for the first time since a setback to his right ankle injury during a minor league rehab stint.

New York has lost 10 of 12 since reaching a season-high 15 games over .500. The Yankees are tied with the Boston Red Soxatop the AL East.

"You worry about the injuries," Girardi said. "But you've got to keep it in perspective. It's a two-week period. We're still tied for first place. We had a pretty tough two weeks. We're still in a good spot. We need to turn it around. We need to get some things straightened out."