Aaron Hicks wasn’t in Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s lineup Thursday night, but it had nothing to do with a physical problem for the switch-hitting center fielder who has been off the IL since May 14, but hasn’t found a groove at the plate.

In 27 games since the lower-back problem vanished and allowed him to be activated on May 15, Hicks had 101 at-bats which is often a benchmark for players at the start of the season. The oft-heard refrain from hitters is, “Let’s see where I am at with 100 at-bats.’’

Well Hicks had 101 at-bats going into Thursday’s action and was hitting .198 with four homers, 16 RBIs and a .299 on-base percentage.

“I feel like he has been real close and doing what Aaron does by controlling the strike zone, maybe some 3-2 counts that haven’t gone his way which he is really good at,’’ Boone said before starting Brett Gardner in center in the Yankees’ 10-6 win over the Astros on Thursday night at the Stadium. “I do feel that with Aaron it’s a matter of time where he goes on that good run where he starts getting on base and hitting the ball out of the ballpark.’’

Gardner went 1-for-3.

At the beginning of June it appeared Hicks, who hit 27 homers and drove in 79 runs — career highs — last year, was ready to get hot. In four games from June 4 to June 7, Hicks went 5-for-13 (.385) with three homers, five RBIs with a .429 on-base percentage and a 1.582 OPS. However, from June 8 to June 19 Hicks batted .118 (4-for-34) without a homer, one RBIs, a .250 on-base percentage and a .456 OPS.