Hicks starting to get back into the swing of things

Aaron Hicks has been back playing games in a Yankees uniform since Wednesday.

On Sunday, he delivered a glimpse of the real Aaron Hicks — the one the Yankees signed to a seven-year, $70 million extension in February.

The center fielder crushed his first home run of the year after missing the first 40 games of the season with a lower-back strain and added a pair of walks in a 13-5 win over the Rays at Yankee Stadium.

“Sometimes timing takes time,” Hicks said. “It’s starting to come around.”

Coupled with Saturday’s two-hit effort, Hicks appears to be settling in after starting out 0-for-8. He had been sidelined since March 3 in spring training, when his stiff back turned into a longer absence than the club initially believed.

Hicks was finally activated last Monday — his debut delayed by back-to-back rainouts — with Sunday marking his fourth game after going 3-for-18 in his rehab assignment.

“He’s kind of finding his way a little bit,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Saw the walk today, which is such a big part of his game and obviously the power to go with it. We’re starting to see him settle in a little bit and hopefully today is the day that starts to get him going.”

A year after hitting 27 home runs and becoming an integral part of the Yankees’ lineup, Hicks’ first long ball of 2019 was timely. With the Yankees trailing 5-3 in the fourth inning, he drilled an 86 mph splitter from Charlie Morton 416 feet to right field to tie the game on a two-run shot.

“That was pretty solid contact,” Hicks said. “I felt like my timing was good with it, I recognized it and I was able to do what I wanted to. I was able to hit it hard. … I feel like slowly, slowly I’m starting to see the ball better.”

The next inning, Hicks drew a walk on a full count with two outs to load the bases and extend the Yankees’ rally, which resulted in seven runs to take command of the game for good.

For so long, Hicks was the one watching less-established Yankees step up in his absence. He still has 13 teammates on the injured list, but now he can count himself among those contributing to the first-place team in the AL East.

“It just proves the fight that our team has,” Hicks said. “The fact that we really are doing the next man up. Guys are performing and doing what they need to do to help this team win.”