OAKLAND — After Joey Gallo was traded, Aaron Hicks was on the forefront of the blame sport. Fans who had been indignant with the Yankees’ inconsistent offense turned on the veteran outfielder who’s struggling to get again to his 2018 kind.
In the final month, Hicks has misplaced his beginning job and taking part in time because the Bombers introduced in Andrew Benintendi and he’ll probably lose much more when Harrison Bader, who the Yankees acquired to be their beginning heart fielder this 12 months and subsequent, returns from the injured checklist.
But you possibly can’t blame Hicks for the Yankees’ offensive struggles anymore. Sunday, the change hitter was the primary Bomber to point out any life within the field in opposition to a pitcher who got here into the sport with a 6-plus ERA. It’s been powerful for the Yankees, even after changing Hicks, to point out any constant offense within the second half.
Heading into Monday’s sequence opener in opposition to the Angels in Anaheim, the Yankees are lifeless final within the majors in slugging (.307) and twenty ninth in OPS (.589) during the last 14 video games. They are twenty seventh within the majors in runs scored (44) in that span as effectively. Shockingly, that features Thursday evening’s sport the Bombers scored 13 runs on 20 hits in opposition to the A’s.
No shock the Yankees are 6-8 in that span.
But Sunday, Hicks was a spark. He had the primary hit of the sport within the fifth inning after which labored a stroll within the seventh of the Yankees’ 4-1 loss to the A’s.
”It’s good to see him smoke a ball by means of the center from the left facet,” Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone stated. “A real competitive at-bat there from the right side to work the walk his last time. So it was good to see him come in and put together some competitive events.”
It had been per week since Hicks was within the beginning lineup and 16 days since his final hit. The 32-year-old Southern California native has no thought if he’ll get into any of the three video games in opposition to the Angels this week and that has been a problem for him.
”Going 4 or 5 days with out taking part in after which having an at-bat in opposition to a troublesome pitcher might be the hardest half about that,” Hicks stated. “Especially if you come off cold and then try to go hit, go get a hit for yourself and for the team. It’s definitely tough.”
It’s the chilly actuality for Hicks, who signed a seven-year, $70 million extension throughout spring coaching of 2019. He was coming off a 27-home run and 79 RBI season when the Yankees provided him that deal to forgo his first few years of free company. He’s missed vital time since then with an elbow damage that required Tommy John surgical procedure and a wrist damage that additionally required surgical procedure and shut him down most of final 12 months.
”That’s the scenario he’s in. We’re in,” Boone stated Sunday morning. “He’s doing a good job of preparing as far as getting out and doing his work, both offensively and defensively. That’s the situation we’re in right now and you have to be able to take advantage when you get opportunities and stay ready as best you can.”
Hicks is hitting .216/.337/.302 with a .638 OPS and 6 house runs and 32 RBI.
“He’s had just a difficult time making that consistent, solid contact and whether that’s a mechanical thing, whatever it may be, I think that’s been a challenge for him this year finding that consistency from the left side,” Boone stated.
”If we knew the reply we’d have finished it. It hasn’t been from lack of labor. I really feel like he’s put in a variety of further work extra so than in all probability at any time in his profession to attempt to discover that consistency,” Boone added. “There’s a stretch in June and July, where he was doing well, but it’s certainly been a challenge finding consistency.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com