Aaron Hicks

New York Yankees: Why Aaron Hicks Shouldn’t Be On The ALCS Roster

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New York Yankees, Aaron Hicks

It has been reported that New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks is healthy and cleared to play in the ALCS against the Houston Astros. But, the team shouldn’t necessarily put him on the roster.

Rusty

Obviously, it will take a few games for Hicks to be able to shake off the rust. That’s completely fine during the regular season, but we’re far past that now.

The team needs guys that are ready to play their absolute best right now.

Cameron Maybin

Cameron Maybin has proven himself on the Yankee roster and is having a much better season compared to Hicks. He has a higher WAR, and has a .285 average with 32 RBIs. Hicks, is batting .235 with 36 RBIs. Maybin has 19 more at-bats than Hicks this season.

The Yankees are all on the same page right now, and there is no reason to mess that up. Maybin has quickly emerged as a leader on and off the field, and has developed a crucial role to the team.

In my honest opinion, I believe that Hicks is very overrated. He can’t bat above .240 and Brian Cashman spent too much money on him. He has a lot of power and a good glove, but his offensive skills lack otherwise.

If anything, the Yankees could put Hicks on the roster in a bench spot and take the place of Tyler Wade. They could use Hicks for defense, pinch-running, and maybe a start or two dependent on the matchup.

But, I think that the Yankees would be better off keeping Aaron Hicks off of the ALCS roster.

New York Yankees receive great injury news – Houston Astros up next

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New York Yankees, Aroldis Chapman

With the Houston Astros overcoming a tedious Tampa Bay Rays team, the New York Yankees now have their opponent for the ALCS, and it will be a difficult matchup. Excellent pitching, dangerous hitters, and a well-coached Astros team present the biggest challenge for the Bombers, but we cannot forget about the absolute domination of the Minnesota Twins in all facets of the game in the ALDS.

After the three-game sweep of the Twins, the Yankees have a ton of momentum heading into the next round, but a few injuries were cause for concern. Both closer Aroldis Chapman and relief option Zack Britton suffered injuries on Monday — the former hit his pitching hand on a champagne bottle, and Britton twisted his ankle slightly covering first base.

Luckily, both are reportedly fine and will continue through the playoffs without any limitations.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, stated:

“Chapman is fine. Brit, he came in today to get some work done. He said he’s good to go. If he had to pitch today, he would be good to go,’’ Boone stated. “Felt even better today. It doesn’t seem like something he’s overly concerned about. He’ll throw [Thursday]. Expect [Britton] to be a full go with no issues.’’

Boone went with a three-person rotation in James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, and Luis Severino during the ALCS, but had 12 total pitchers on the bench. He could look to add one and drop a utility player or infielder like Luke Voit; however, I don’t imagine that’s a sensible decision.

Adding veteran pitcher, CC Sabathia is a possibility, though, as he’s ready to take the mound and is looking to contribute during the playoffs.

Another difficult choice is to roll out the same rotation against the Astros as they did against the Twins. Allowing just seven total runs over three games would indicate that Boone might stick to his original game plan.

“Haven’t decided that yet,” he said. “May or may not factor who we’re playing. But those will be the conversations that we have, one of the conversations we have over the next couple days. I’m considering everything right now.’’

Aside from the pitchers, outfielder Aaron Hicks is also available to return and provide value. He can play multiple positions in the outfield and has a solid bat when consistent. Hicks hasn’t played since August 3, which undoubtedly hurts his chances given the lack of live-reps.

New York Yankees have a difficult decision to make on the roster

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New York Yankees, Aaron Hicks

The New York Yankees handled the Minnesota Twins with ease, allowing just seven total runs in a three-game sweep that will send them to the ALCS. Either Houston Astros or Tampa Bay Rays will be their next opponent, but the active roster for the postseason could be shuffled around a bit with the return of one starting outfielder.

Brett Gardner has played well the last few weeks, hitting home runs at an unfathomable rate and enjoying consistently solid defensive performances. However, the Yankees could elect to make a decision that would send Gardner to the bench. The return of center fielder Aaron Hicks looms, and manager Aaron Boone must decide what’s better for the team.

Hicks has been rehabbing from a right flexor strains, but according to the Associated Press, he’s “definitely ready to go out there and play.”

Featuring in the postseason is an experience most players don’t want to forfeit, which is why Hicks will attempt to thrust his way into the starting lineup.

“That’s really what I’m getting ready for, is to get back and play in the playoffs.”

Aaron hasn’t played since August 3, which presents a problem in terms of hitting. He will need consistent at-bats to regain his eye for the ball and timing, and the Yankees cannot afford to experiment with him in the ALCS.

That hasn’t stopped New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone from stating that Hicks is still on his mind:

“He is very much a consideration,” Boone said. “He’s good physically. He obviously hasn’t had the kind of reps or games that you’d like, but he has certainly put himself in a position to be considered.”

 

“You could also see him filling a number of roles,” Boone said. “When he’s healthy, he’s a really good player and a really important player for us, an impact player. I could see him [doing] anything, from being in the lineup on a given game. I could see him being on our bench. I could also see us not ready to make that move yet because of not being fully worked back up.”

Hicks featured in just 59 games this past season, slashing .235/.325/.442 with 12 homers and a .769 OPS. His seven-year, $70 million deal didn’t start in an ideal way, but he will be an essential piece to the team moving forward if he can remain healthy, that is.

I believe that the Yankees and Boone should pass on Hicks — follow the old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The Yanks have been on fire as of late, scoring an impressive 23 total runs in their domination over the Twins. Picking the roster is a difficult task, but there’s simply no place for Hicks considering Cameron Maybin’s home-run in game three and quality base-running.

New York Yankees: Hicks, Sabathia could possibly be on the ALCS roster

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New York Yankees, Aaron Hicks

The New York Yankees will continue their postseason campaign into the ALCS following their destruction of the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS.

Aaron Hicks, who’s been on the injured list since August dealing with a flexor strain, is hopeful that he’ll be considered to be on the ALCS roster.

“Yeah, he is very much a consideration,” manager Aaron Boone said on Hicks. “He’s here today actually. We’re hoping to have some sim-game stuff going on with a couple of our pitchers. He did a lot of hitting and what not. He’s good physically. Obviously hasn’t had the kind of reps or games that you’d like, but he has certainly put himself in the position to be considered.”

Hicks has been throwing and hitting the past few days and has made good progress in his rehabbing. The New York Yankees are considering his addition to the roster but have not decided yet.

The switch-hitting center fielder wants to be considered for a roster spot. He told the Associated Press that he’s “definitely ready to go and play” for the ALCS.

The 30-year-old slashed .235/.325/.443 with 12 home runs and 35 runs batted in during the regular season.

For C.C. Sabathia, the left-hander was ruled out for the ALDS after shoulder issues. However, Sabathia threw on Wednesday showing signs of improvement. Aaron Boone was encouraged by the way he threw.

“CC did throw today and frankly looked really good,” said Boone. “I was really excited about how he looked. He was sharp, he was really able to finish his pitches. I think he’s feeling considerably better than he was this time last week certainly. I would say he is now an option for us as well and somebody that we’re considering. We’ll see how he bounces back tomorrow from his session today.”

If Sabathia were to return, Boone alluded to that the veteran would be having a bullpen role. More specifically, a multi-inning outing is unrealistic for Sabathia.

“I could certainly see him in there in a lane where he’s facing three or four hitters. Possibly an inning-plus, something like that. I think the biggest thing is evaluating where he is.”

New York Yankees: Great injury news for Gleyber Torres

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New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

When New York Yankees star second baseman Gleyber Torres hit the deck on a throw to first base, the entire fanbase gasped simultaneously. Luckily, Torres has escaped any significant injury and has been left out of the lineup as a precaution. Missing a second straight game, manager Aaron Boone gave Torres another nights rest to aid his fatigued right hamstring.

The Yankees need to be extremely careful with their star infielder and ensure he is prepared to produce during the postseason. After what seemed to be a severe injury, Torres told Boone that his legs felt weak. The translation boils down to fatigue, which is why the Yankees are giving him extra time to heal.

“Gleyber’s good. I just decided yesterday that I wanted to give him one more day going into the off day, but I’m obviously encouraged by the MRI and just from speaking with him, he feels good,” the Yankees manager stated.

The 22-year-old is hitting .284/.343/.546 with 38 homers and 90 RBIs over 140 games this season. A second consecutive stellar performance only attests to his influence and how important he is to the team moving forward. He expects to return on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay rays at Tropicana Field, and that is an excellent sign for a team that has been plagued by injuries the entire season.

Extra Injury News For The New York Yankees:

Starting outfielder Aaron hicks is working his way through the first stage of his second attempt at a throwing rehab program. Surgery was a possibility for Hicks, but he is seeming to respond to rehabilitation and could be back in the lineup for the start of the playoffs.

As per the NY Daily News:

“Certainly long-term. He’s been encouraged by how he’s felt and how he’s feeling throwing the ball. But that said, he hasn’t started hitting or anything like that, so it’s hard to envision him being back at some point (this season),” Boone said. “But I know, in his mind anyway, he’s going to work hard to hopefully put himself in a position. But he’s got to continue to progress and see how the elbow responds, especially when he really starts cranking it.”

New York Yankees: An Ideal Starting Lineup for the Post-Season

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New York Yankees shortstop, Didi Gregorius.

Aaron Boone, the manager of the New York Yankees, has a fun, but challenging task of creating a lineup for the postseason.

The Yankees currently have the best record in baseball at 95-51, are 7-3 in their last 10 games, and have an 8.5 game lead on the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees have one more two-game set against the Rays, at Tropicana Field, near the end of the month (MLB.com).

With the recent news of Hicks possibly needing Tommy John surgery and Tauchman being out the rest of the season, that opens up some spots in the outfield on the postseason roster. Stanton is the candidate to get the starting spot in left once he comes back off the IL. Clint Frazier could see an increase in playing time as well and will most likely make the postseason roster with all of these injuries.

What should the Starting Lineup Look Like in the Post-Season?

Once everyone comes back from injury, an ideal lineup would look like this: Lemahieu (3B), Judge (RF), Sanchez (C), Encarnacion (DH), Stanton (LF), Voit (1B), Torres (2B), Gregorius (SS), and Gardner (CF). Even for the Astros pitching, that would be a tough lineup to get through.  The balanced hitting of Lemahieu and Judge will set up the middle of the order, where all of the power comes from. Then, the sneaky home run leader, Torres, will add value to the bottom-third of the lineup. Gardner, a player that always seems to make something happen, whether it’s drawing a walk or stealing a base, is a perfect nine hitter to set up the top of the lineup.

Some key players off the bench would be: Gio Urshela (3B), for his electric plays on defense and consistent bat, Cameron Maybin (OF), for his veteran presence and ability to everything he asked to do at a high level, and Austin Romine (C), for his ability to lead as a veteran and come up clutch in big moments at the plate. He also seems to bond well with the pitchers and gives them extra confidence the mound.

Also, for the ALDS, Boone should most likely have Paxton start game 1 with his recent success. Tanaka game 2, Severino game 3, and German open up game 4, with Sabathia and/or Happ, right behind Severino or German. Severino will need some time to get back to his full durability audit may not be this season. German has also thrown a lot of innings this year and they should be careful with his arm. This plan would allow The Yankees could be smart to utilize all of their options to keep everyone fresh out of the bullpen.

Using this strategy, Boone can help lead the New York Yankees to their first World Series in a decade.

New York Yankees lose two influential outfielders for remainder of season

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New York Yankees, Aaron Hicks

As if losing Giancarlo Stanton for a significant portion of the regular season wasn’t enough, the New York Yankees will also be without two influential outfielders for the postseason.

Centerfielder Aaron Hicks and utility outfielder Mike Tauchman will miss the remainder of the season with severe injuries. The Yankees can’t seem to go even a week without losing a productive player that can help them during the playoffs, but they will need to supplement the loss with quality nonetheless.

Hicks, who was hitting .235 on the season with 12 homers, went for an opinion on his right flexor strain. The doctor stated that he should give the ailment a few more weeks rest until reevaluating.

Manager Aaron Boone said, “surgery certainly would be on the table. I wouldn’t even call it likely. It’s very much up in the air with how he responds.”

The Yankees starting outfielder hasn’t responded well, which will likely result in him enduring surgery and prematurely ending his season. Finding a replacement for the playoffs got a bit more complicated with Tauchman hitting the IL as well with a strained calf.

With just three outfielders 100% healthy, the Yanks will need to bank on those players to play at a high level. Clint Frazier, Brett Gardner, and Aaron Judge are the healthy options, with Cameron Maybin dealing with a ligament issue in his left wrist. That ailment will linger for the remainder of the season, but he will need to play through it.

Stanton’s return will be hugely impactful in helping the outfield come together as a cohesive unit once more. His power and hitting quality will also be a factor in a potential deep run for the Yanks. The lack of outfield options will give Frazier the chance to make the active roster for the postseason and even earn playing time if injuries strike again.

New York Yankees: Aaron Hicks Likely To Miss Remainder of Season

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New York Yankees, Aaron Hicks

New York Yankees’ slugger Aaron Hicks has been sidelined since early August with a right flexor strain. The 29-year-old will avoid getting Tommy John surgery, but was told by a doctor in California that he needs a few more weeks to rest which will likely end his season. Dr. Neal ElAttrache recommended that he rest before getting reevaluated in a few weeks. This “rest-and-rehab” method will hopefully help Hicks to avoid getting surgery.

“Surgery certainly would be on the table,” said manager Aaron Boone. “I wouldn’t even call it likely. It’s very much up in the air with how he responds.”

Hicks had begun a throwing program which ultimately proved that he needed more time to recover. He was shut down again just days after the program began.

“Yeah, even if it’s ultimately not surgery, the clock’s against him now,” Boone said  Wednesday. “We have a lot of good players out there. We’ll be all right.”

Without Hicks, the outfield will primarily be left to Brett Gardner, Cameron Maybin, Aaron Judge, and Clint Frazier. Giancarlo Stanton is expected to make a return from the injured list soon as well. There have also been talks that Tyler Wade could see some more time in the outfield now in Hicks’ absence.

Hicks signed a 7 year / $70,000,000 contract with the New York Yankees this year.

This season Hicks is batting .235 with 12 home runs and 36 runs batted in. Fans remember his spectacular game earlier this year against the Minnesota Twins when he hit the go-ahead home run and superman-dove to catch the final out. Hicks’ defensive and offensive production will be missed by the Yankees heading into the postseason.

 

New York Yankees need their esteemed veteran for the playoffs

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New York Yankees, Brett Gardner

For only the second time in 12 years, New York Yankees veteran leader and outfielder Brett Gardner has broken the 20 home run mark.

Gardner, known for his speed and slap-shot abilities, has adjusted his launch angle to provide more upward lift increasing home runs. While his batting average is just .245, he has earned 58 RBIs, 11 more than in 2010 where his BA was .277. He only hit five homers that year, which shows how influential the long ball can be in supporting runs and helping compensate for lack of pitching, something the Yankees have dealt with during the 2019 season.

The Yankees will undoubtedly need their “wise man” for the playoffs. In what was thought to be his final season with the Bombers, Gardner has justified his worth and that he is deserving of another year with the only team he has ever played for.

Brett Gardner has been a beast for the New York Yankees:

Brett’s influence comes in more ways than just his home runs totals — his leadership and experience have helped the younger players on the roster develop and mature.

He’s been great. He’s been such a good player between the lines,” manager Aaron Boone said. “For as banged up as we’ve been, he’s been one of the constants. He’s such a grinder. He’s a guy that everyone looks to. The edge that he brings to the ballpark every day rubs off on guys. There’s obviously that leadership element and quality he brings that is so important, but I think it’s really important that we not overlook what a good player he is, and what a good two-way player he’s been.

For the Yanks this season, Gardner has been an integral piece of the offense and defense as players have dropped due to injuries. From Giancarlo Stanton, Mike Tauchman, Aaron Hicks, to Cameron Maybin, Gardner has kept his health, even as the veteran of the group.

Moving forward, the Bombers will need him to continue producing and will likely start him during the playoffs in the field if Stanton is unable. Ideally, he would act as a utility player in the outfield as the intensity elevates during the postseason. He’s a great option to supplement injuries.

 

New York Yankees starting outfielder could miss remainder of season with injury

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New York Yankees, Aaron Hicks

With one more month of regular season baseball left, the New York Yankees are in good shape for the postseason and locking up home-field advantage.

Just seven games out from the 100 win mark, the Yankees have good momentum, but they could be without their starting center fielder for the remainder of the month…or more.

After being pulled from a game on August 3, Aaron hicks, starting outfielder for the Yankees, strained his flexor near his right elbow. On a throw to third base, Hicks immediately felt the pain and was pulled out of the game. He began a throwing program in The Bronx during the Yankees’ reason homestand and was scheduled to start hitting again when the injury took a turn for the worst.

“He’s slowed down,’’ Boone said before the Yankees second game of the series against the Red Sox. “He’s not feeling quite right.”

While Hicks managed to escape any ligament damage via an MRI exam, the injury has slowed him down a bit and caused minimal problems for his return. He eventually will join the Yankees, but it might have to wait until the postseason rolls around. He will undoubtedly be a part of the starting team but will need to be 100% healthy.

Being cautious with an elbow injury should be the priority for Hicks and the training staff, as re-injuring the flexor would be devastating for a team in need of healthy players for a helpful postseason run.

The Yankees have been plagued by injuries all season and Hicks has spent time on the injured list on numerous occasions. Boone was not hopeful that his injury alleviates quickly, even going as far as to say that Hicks could miss the remainder of the season.

Boone said in regards to Hicks having a potentially season-ending injury, according to the NY Post: “It could be. We’ll see how the next several days unfold. But as of right now, he hasn’t been able to advance.”