BALTIMORE — Aaron Hicks was again within the leadoff spot Saturday evening. It was the primary time this season the middle fielder was main off and the ninth totally different lineup Aaron Boone has used this season.
“A lot of times it’s been [because] one guy’s out,” Boone mentioned of his lineup modifications. “Josh Donaldson was leading off there for a while against right-handers and he was out of the lineup … and next day he’s in it’s a lefty so it’s a little different on the look. So, I think as you get going, again, as if you’re healthy, things tend to settle in a little bit more, even more consistently.”
But Boone likes Hicks again atop the lineup and he was rewarded for it. Hicks went 2-for-3 with a stroll and a run scored in Saturday evening’s rain-delayed 5-2 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards.
“I think he’s been pretty good so far. He’s certainly getting his hits, he’s gotten on base, kind of a big homer for us a few days ago. So, I think going to play winter ball for him was valuable and helpful,” Boone mentioned. “And kind of gave him a little confidence heading into the winter as far as just getting some game reps under his belt and making sure that the wrist was good to go. And then in spring training, I thought he handled the volume well, and was really working and grinding and wanting to get as many of those bats as [he] can. So, I feel like he’s in a pretty good spot.”
Hicks missed most of final season after having wrist surgical procedure. He missed time in 2019 with elbow points that ultimately required Tommy John surgical procedure.
Before that, nonetheless, Hicks was a daily leadoff hitter. Saturday evening was his ninety fifth begin within the leadoff spot.
It’s one thing Boone wouldn’t hesitate to do once more.
“Possibly, I mean, Hicks is one of those guys that you feel good about a lot of places in the lineup,” Boone mentioned of the change hitter. “So, yeah, it’s possible.”
COVID CONCERNS
Boone isn’t worrying about who can be out there to him in two weeks. The Yankees will make their first journey to Toronto for a collection that begins in 16 days with the Canadian authorities’s COVID-19 journey guidelines, no unvaccinated participant can be allowed in for the collection.
“I’m not,” Boone mentioned when requested if he was nervous about that journey. “But we’ll see. I don’t have any say on it right now. I don’t think it’ll be an issue though.”
According to a latest report, the Yankees nonetheless have two gamers unvaccinated. The A’s simply positioned three gamers on the restricted checklist, which means they don’t must pay them, and left them within the U.S. earlier than beginning their collection in Toronto.
According to Canadian guidelines, a participant must have had their ultimate dose of the vaccine on Sunday to enter the nation May 1, the evening earlier than the Yankees collection begins in Toronto.
CHAPMAN STRUGGLES
Matt Blake mentioned he was stunned when nearer Aroldis Chapman threw his first pitch Friday evening and it was solely 93 mph, however the pitching coach watched fastidiously and feels the 34-year-old is okay.
“He does take something off sometimes to try and make sure he throws strikes,” Blake mentioned. “I think after the night before, he was being very careful. And his velocity fluctuated there. He did hit 99, too.”
Chapman had a tough evening Thursday in New York, strolling the bases loaded on 16 pitches, solely 4 of which discovered the strike zone. He was yanked for Michael King, who received the Yankees out of the jam. In the eleventh Friday evening, Chapman was known as on to wash up a bases-loaded jam and he walked within the profitable run.
The nearer mentioned he felt nice and Boone mentioned he wasn’t nervous about it.
“It’s fluctuated. I actually thought his stuff was good. Even the fastball. The velocity was good. It seemed like it was 94 to 98 in that range. But I thought his stuff was pretty crisp,” Boone mentioned. “And I really thought he threw the ball properly final evening after a tricky outing clearly the evening earlier than the place he actually struggled and didn’t actually get in that good rhythm.
“I thought last night was very different and obviously about as tough a situation as you can walk into … but he was much cleaner and more competitive with his pitches last night.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com