Aaron Hicks returns to Yankees' lineup; Giancarlo Stanton still out vs. Astros

NEW YORK -- Aaron Hicks returned to the Yankees' starting lineup Tuesday for the first time since Aug. 3, and Giancarlo Stanton remained out for the second straight game when the AL Championship Series resumed with New York and Houston tied 1-1.

Hicks took over in center field and hit ninth against Houston's Gerrit Cole in New York's 4-1 Game 3 loss. Previously sidelined by an injured flexor near his right elbow, Hicks pinch hit for starting left fielder Cameron Maybin in Game 2 and grounded out leading off the 10th inning. He then moved to center.

Limited by injuries to 18 games during the regular season, Stanton homered in the opener and missed Game 2 because of a strained right quadriceps.

"It's not the best, but I'm able to hit," Stanton said Tuesday. "We're at least that far right now. ... Time is not on my side right now. Doing what I can."

Manager Aaron Boone said Stanton probably would be on the injured list if this were the regular season.

"Kind of called G in right when he got here and just said we're going to stay away today," Boone said. "He's going to get outside and move around a little bit more today -- feel like he would be a hitter-off-the-bench option today. And then we'll kind of see where we are again moving forward, kind of day by day here."

Stanton said he was encouraged by his pregame workout.

"I just moved around for the first time right now; it's really going to be a game-time decision," he said.

Rain is forecast for Wednesday in New York, which could push Game 4 to Thursday.

Brett Gardner moved from center and replaced Stanton in left. Asked what he expected from Hicks, Boone said "a couple homers, walk" and smiled.

"The big question mark is, he hasn't played in a couple of months, so that's the challenge," Boone said.

First baseman DJ LeMahieulead off, followed by right fielder Aaron Judge, Gardner, designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, second baseman Gleyber Torres, shortstop Didi Gregorius, catcher Gary Sanchez, third baseman Gio Urshela and Hicks in center. Luis Severinowas on the mound.

Information from ESPN's Marly Rivera and The Associated Press was used in this report.