BALTIMORE — Aaron Hicks didn’t play inside the Yankees’ 7-6 loss to the Orioles on Friday, however his establish nonetheless drew consideration.
That’s not the first time that’s occurred to the outfielder this yr, as Hicks has taken a once more seat to solely about everyone on the Yankees’ depth chart. That seat has embrace a belt firmly fastened to the workers’s bench, save for just some begins on April 3 and 4. Apart from that, Hicks has just one totally different at-bat this season; he’s 0-for-7 with a stroll and three strikeouts.
Aaron Boone had two prospects to utilize Hicks on Friday, nevertheless he as an alternative chosen Isiah Kiner-Falefa on every occasions. “IKF” may be hitting .000 and had certainly not carried out the outfield inside the majors sooner than this season, nevertheless that didn’t stop him from pinch-hitting for lefty-swinging correct fielder Franchy Cordero — who homered earlier inside the sport — when the Orioles turned to southpaw Danny Coulombe inside the sixth.
“I like the prospect of IKF placing the ball in play there,” Boone talked about afterward, together with that he yanked Cordero on account of left-on-left matchup. “He popped it up,” with a runner on third.
Kiner-Falefa took over in coronary heart space, the place Hicks has spent practically all of his career at, whereas Aaron Decide shifted to correct.
Boone then saved Kiner-Falefa inside the sport when the Yankees had two outs, an individual on third and a possibility to tie the back-and-forth sport inside the eighth. The utility man struck out.
When notably requested why Kiner-Falefa acquired that at-bat as an alternative of Hicks, Boone supplied a proof that talked about a complete lot further regarding the veteran outfielder than it did the supervisor’s in-game approach.
“We’re on the lookout for successful in that spot,” Boone talked about. “It’s not an on-base state of affairs, essentially. It’s extra of successful [situation], so I favored IKF there.”
Each decisions are hitless this season, so it’s not like Boone have to be raked over the coals for the choice he made. Nevertheless, the implication of that assertion is that Hicks isn’t good for one thing better than a stroll inside the Yankees’ eyes. And considering that Kiner-Falefa has acquired far more time in coronary heart space — Hicks actually hasn’t carried out there however in 2023 — it’s moreover sincere to question whether or not or not the Yankees want his inexperienced safety over what Hicks presents at this stage in his career.
Whereas Boone has complimented the way in which during which Hicks accomplished spring teaching and repeated points alongside the strains of “He’s going to play,” the skipper has moreover well-known that there are solely so many at-bats to go spherical given the Yankees’ current roster growth.
Oswaldo Cabrera, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI Friday, has earned regularly having fun with time, and left space is the easiest place for him to do that correct now no matter his versatility. Cordero, within the meantime, has made a strong first impression after signing with the Yankees on March 30. Then there’s Willie Calhoun, one different nook outfielder who was added to the Yankees’ roster Saturday morning when Josh Donaldson hit the injured document.
And don’t overlook about Harrison Bader. He’s anticipated to be sidelined with an oblique hurt for just some further weeks, nevertheless he’ll take over in coronary heart and extra crowd the Yankees’ outfield depth chart upon his return — if others on the place keep healthful.
At the moment, could the Yankees decrease their losses and designate Hicks for challenge?
If a switch wanted to be made this rapid, which may be the one which makes in all probability probably the most baseball sense given the workers’s apparent lack of use for the switch-hitter. Hicks is owed $30 million over the three remaining years of his contract, along with 2023, so that will complicate points, nevertheless the Yankees took an identical hit after they decrease Jacoby Ellsbury free in 2019. And in distinction to Joey Gallo, who solely obtained right here with a half-season dedication remaining summer time season, the Yankees haven’t been able to find takers for Hicks after an offseason of commerce rumors.
Hicks, who heard heavy boos by means of the Yankees’ opening homestand, has expressed “just a little bit” of frustration collectively together with his perform to Boone all through conversations they’ve had, in line with the latter. Hicks went as far as telling The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty that he has “no concept” what his perform is on April 2.
With all this serving as a backdrop to Boone’s illuminating suggestions and decisions on Friday, Hicks’ future inside the Bronx is becoming murkier by the day. For now, it seems the easiest he can hope for are scant begins.
However weeks from now? It’s becoming easier and easier to see the Yankees making a financially expensive — nevertheless roster unclogging — decision.
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