ST. PETERSBURG -- The injury bug is catching the Yankees at a most inopportune time. Aaron Hicks was the latest to visit the trainer's table, exiting Monday's game against the Rays at Tropicana Field with a tight left hamstring. The outfielder will have a precautionary MRI on Tuesday, according to manager Aaron Boone.
Hicks appeared to be slightly hobbled after beating out a potential double-play ball in the third inning, with cameras catching him wincing as he returned to first base. Hicks was out of the game an inning later, replaced in center field by Brett Gardner, who carried the Yankees to a 4-1 victory with an RBI hit and potential game-saving catch.
"It's been tight now for a couple of days," Hicks said. "Today was the day they took me out of the game. It came out of nowhere. I've been doing maintenance on it for about three days now. I'm not too concerned. In a day or two, I should be good and ready to go."

Boone said the club "didn't want to risk anything" with Hicks, who has quietly endured a painful few days. In his 11th inning at-bat against the Orioles on Saturday in New York, Hicks was hobbled after fouling a ball off the inside of his left ankle.
He remained in the game and lashed a game-winning double to left field, chasing home Didi Gregorius from first base. That play came at a significant cost for the Yankees, as Gregorius sustained torn cartilage in his right wrist while sliding headfirst into home plate.
The Yankees aren't sure when Gregorius will rejoin the lineup -- despite the shortstop's optimism -- but they believe Hicks will not be out long.
"Hicks has been a big part of what we've been doing all year," Gardner said. "Hopefully he's back in there within the next few days and we really don't skip a beat. We've got a lot of depth up and down the roster. That's one of the reasons we've had such a good year and we can be so dangerous deep into the postseason."
Hicks said he could have continued the game, and while he did not expect to be in the lineup on Tuesday, he said some rest could help him feel ready to play on Wednesday or Thursday.
"I just want to be on the field grinding with my team, and [now] I've got a nagging injury like this," Hicks said.