What can the Yankees do about their Aaron Hicks difficulty?

There’s a large amount to like about the changes the Yankees produced from past year to this a person.

One particular change, while, has not compensated off practically as perfectly as they hoped. In point, it seriously hasn’t paid out off at all. In going from Brett Gardner as the main heart fielder to Aaron Hicks, the staff changed a person issue with a youthful, considerably less beloved trouble.

Hicks returns to his old stomping grounds in Minnesota — wherever the Yankees start a a few-sport sequence on Tuesday — with a .213/.337/.243 slash line. Statcast has him as the worst defensive heart fielder in the American League, and among the gamers who have manufactured at minimum 150 plate appearances, Hicks’ grand complete of two added base hits is the fewest in the league.

The warts are obvious and protruding. Presumably healthy yet again, Hicks is a considerably cry from the player he was in 2018. That calendar year, a 28-year-aged Hicks slammed 27 home operates and walked in over 15% of his journeys to the plate. His 4.2 Wins Earlier mentioned Alternative made him the next-best placement participant on the team, behind only Aaron Choose. That earned him the now greatly-mocked seven-calendar year, $70 million deal that runs by 2026.

At his recent price of production, it would be unfathomable for Hicks to nevertheless be the day-to-day center fielder in 2026. Even when the deal was signed, it was difficult to imagine Hicks as the heart fielder of the foreseeable future. Hicks invested time on the hurt record in each 2017 and 2018, went there yet again immediately after receiving paid in 2019, then underwent wrist surgical procedures at the commence of 2021 that restricted him to just 32 online games. There was an harm background when the offer was designed, and it’s continued as Hicks ages.

The issue now gets to be what to do. The workforce is chained to Hicks economically, but he’s also turn into unplayable. He also does not have minimal league solutions, and maintaining him on the bench as a velocity and defense male doesn’t make perception given how tricky both of those his pace and defense have declined.

Choose has now shifted appropriate and started out 20 video games in heart subject this year. That defensive alignment ordinarily arrives with Giancarlo Stanton playing appropriate subject and Josh Donaldson, DJ LeMahieu and/or Gleyber Torres biking via designated hitter. But with Matt Carpenter now in the fold, and promptly contributing, he has a rightful declare to DH on most days.

Aaron Boone will be hesitant, if not outright unwilling, to enjoy Stanton in the area each individual one day. If one particular of Donaldson, LeMahieu or Torres could engage in corner outfield, acquire Hicks’ place and forever put Choose in centre, the Yankees would have a solution. But they really do not, leaving a bunch of not comfortable truths for a workforce that has been dwelling in heat and snuggly confines all time.

Assuming Stanton will carry on participating in DH a lot more often than right industry — an even safer assumption soon after the ankle damage that briefly despatched him to the wounded listing — the Yankees want a person who can both of those engage in the outfield and be much better than Hicks. The latter element is not a large bar to obvious, as Hicks has the fourth-most affordable slugging share of any hitter having as several possibilities as him. For the Yankees, the difficulty is the lack of a sensible substitute that’s divided on their own from the pack by now.

Estevan Florial would be the suitable heir clear, but the team appears to be stubbornly opposed to giving him the commencing task in the majors more than Hicks. Florial has place with each other a good season at Triple-A, slashing .270/.357/.419 with a double-digit walk charge. The 24-year-previous also, to his detriment, strikes out fully way too a great deal, specifically in opposition to minor league pitching. The crew will never know how he handles the huge leagues, although, right until they try out. Seemingly just about every time Florial has been with the Yankees this time, it’s as the 27th male for a doubleheader, and he’s returned to the minors promptly afterward.

If the Yankees just flat out really do not think that Florial is prepared for Major League Baseball, they could stand to give Tim Locastro a shot. Also presently in the minors, Locastro at the really least has a single elite device in his bag. Locastro’s tornado legs give him speed that pretty number of other gamers have. That on your own can make him an intriguing player, especially when the choice is Hicks and his 81 wRC+.

Last but not least, there’s Miguel Andujar. A longtime fringe member of the Yankees’ roster, Andujar just lately asked for a trade due to the fact he’s never gotten the taking part in time he feels he justifies. With the third baseman studying how to navigate still left subject (and accomplishing so without any significant hiccups), he deserves to be in the starting lineup far more than Hicks does. But if the Yankees weren’t likely to engage in Andujar in excess of Hicks or Joey Gallo — who has also been terrible this calendar year — they most likely by no means will.

It’s a curious situation for absolutely sure, and there is most likely a level of shame that would come from ditching Hicks and Gallo, as both equally were when touted as major items of the team’s championship pursuit. But proper now, it’s distinct as day that Choose need to be manning centre discipline, even if the problems about safeguarding his physique develop bigger when he’s moved absent from a corner place. Though the Yankees have still crushed every little thing in sight inspite of Hicks obtaining generous playing time, any postseason video game with him is a stain on the lineup card.

Prior to they attain that level, the Yankees want a option. Whether it is a single of Florial, Locastro or Andujar, or whatsoever trade piece they can get in return for Andujar, it’s madness to continue to keep trotting Hicks out there and praying for a miracle. It’s one particular factor to acquire a division with a few rotten eggs in the carton, it’s completely distinctive to check out and gain the Planet Sequence. Numerous floundering teams would really like to get anything for their outfielders on expiring contracts. Arizona’s David Peralta, Pittsburgh’s Ben Gamel and Kansas City’s Andrew Benintendi are just a handful of of the impending no cost agents whose still left-handed swings would enjoy properly in the Bronx and be tangible updates heading into the playoffs.

Regardless of what the Yankees make your mind up to do, it cannot be Hicks, a male who has the exact amount of double plays grounded into as he does more base hits.

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