Manager Mike Shildt said Saturday that Hicks (elbow) has resumed playing catch but remains a ways away from full participation in baseball activities, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Shildt wouldn't rule out the possibility of Hicks not returning this season, though he didn't necessarily hint at that being the most likely scenario either. The right-hander still has a long way to go until he's even able to throw off a mound, so for the time being, a mid-to-late August return seems to be a best-case scenario.