New York Yankees news: Aaron Hicks expecting first child with wife Cheyenne Woods, added to paternity list; team recalls infielder Miguel Andujar
The New York Yankees have put center fielder Aaron Hicks on the paternity list because he is expecting his first child with wife Cheyenne Woods. To fill the void, they have recalled infielder/outfielder Miguel Andujar from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
"Yankees call up Miguel Andujar with Aaron Hicks on paternity list." - @ New York Post
Cheyenne Woods, a professional golfer and Tiger Woods' half-niece, revealed on Instagram in February that she and her husband Aaron Hicks are expecting a baby boy. The duo got married earlier this year in a relatively hush hush wedding.
"Surprise! 2022 is about to be a great year. 💙" - @ Cheyenne Woods
Miguel Andujar will get another chance with the New York Yankees, at least for the short term. On Tuesday, the Dominican outfielder/third baseman was promoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Andujar had a strong start in Triple-A, hitting .347 with three home runs and six RBIs in 13 games. He started six Triple-A games in left field with no errors and five at third base with two errors.
Andujar, 27, had a breakout rookie season in 2018, batting .297 with 47 doubles, 27 home runs, and 92 RBIs in 149 at-bats. Since then, he's dealt with many ailments and problems, forcing him to return to Triple-A. In 78 games as a major leaguer from 2019 to 2021, he hit .228 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs.
On Tuesday night, Andujar will be in uniform for the New York Yankees series opener at Yankee Stadium against the Baltimore Orioles.
New York Yankees Miguel Andujar career highlights
In 2017, Andujar made his major league debut as the New York Yankees' designated hitter, going three for four with four RBIs and a walk, establishing the franchise record for most RBIs in the first game.
Andujar hit a single home run against the Minnesota Twins on April 23, 2018, making it his seventh game at a stretch with an extra-base hit. Andujar joins Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle as the only Yankees under 24 to have seven straight games with an extra-base hit in a season.
Andujar's first career walk-off hit, an RBI single, secured a 7-6 win over the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) on May 4, 2018 and hit his first big league grand slam on June 5, 2018.
On September 29, 2018, Andujar hit his 45th double of the season, tying Joe DiMaggio for the most doubles by a rookie in New York Yankees history. With the Yankees, he hit.297/.328/.527 while seeing the fewest fastballs of any MLB batter.
His incredible batting performance in 2018 had an influential impact on the American League. Not only was he recognized as a solid hitter, he ultimately received multiple votes for league Rookie of the year. Although Shohei Ohtani eventually trumped that season as the finest rookie, Andujar stood second in voting.
Andujar avoided salary arbitration by signing a $1.3 million contract with the Yankees on March 22, 2022. With Hicks expected to return to the team on Friday, there is a high probability of Miguel Andujar being sent back to Triple-A.