As Aaron Hicks mentioned hiya to his former Yankees teammates and coaches on Monday, he displayed an unfamiliar aesthetic.
Yes, the black and orange attire he sported supplied a pointy distinction to the street grays and pinstriped whites he wore between 2016 and May 19 of this yr. But Hicks’ beard additionally stood out as he took the sector at Yankee Stadium for the primary time as a member of the Orioles.
“I had to shave the top and my face for eight years,” mentioned a laughing Hicks, who’s bald.
The 33-year-old didn’t chuckle a lot throughout his previous few seasons within the Bronx, as accidents and extended struggles turned followers towards him and restricted his enjoying time earlier than the Yankees launched him on May 20. In doing so, the workforce ate the remaining three years and almost $30 million left on Hicks’ contract, together with this season.
It didn’t take lengthy for Baltimore to signal Hicks on a minimal wage deal. The flyer has paid off, because the outfielder entered Monday’s return to the Bronx with a .263/.379/.475 slash line, 4 residence runs, eight extra-base hits, 12 RBI and a 139 OPS+ over 26 video games for the O’s.
Hicks credited his turnaround to constant alternatives, which had been arduous to come back by with the Yankees.
“I feel like the whole time I was just trying to fight for playing time,” Hicks mentioned of his remaining days in New York. “To be capable to come right here and play day by day, it’s been big.
“Change of scenery has been good.”
Hicks debuted for the Yankees in 2016 following a commerce from the Twins, and he inked a seven-year, $70 million extension following a career-year in 2018. But he appeared in simply 303 video games for the Bombers after that, and he slashed .218/.330/.360 over that span.
Hicks hit .188 over 28 video games for the Yankees this season earlier than the membership reduce ties with him.
“He was one of those guys that kind of got in the crosshairs of that a little bit,” Aaron Boone mentioned of followers booing Hicks towards the top. “And a lot of it was not his own doing. He had some serious injuries that kind of derailed him a little bit and cost him time, and then he was unable to find that consistency. But he did a lot of really good things here, too.”
Hicks’ accidents included Tommy John surgical procedure in 2019 and a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist in 2021. His 2018 season noticed him hit a career-high 27 residence runs, and he added a clutch dinger throughout the 2019 American League Championship Series after delaying the Tommy John process.
On Monday, earlier than beginning in left and batting seventh, Hicks talked about enjoying within the postseason when speaking about his favourite reminiscences with the Yankees. Alas, his tenure with the membership didn’t finish the way in which anybody concerned had hoped.
“Opportunities and injuries and stuff like that kind of happened,” Hicks mentioned. “I kind of went down a struggling road, which I really couldn’t get myself out of it. I feel like when I started to have success, I really wasn’t given an opportunity. Now that I’m over here, I’m getting a lot of opportunities and I’ve been trying to make the most of it.”
In addition to extra enjoying time, Hicks has spoken about standing taller within the field when speaking about his resurgence in Baltimore. He’s additionally loved being one of many few veterans on a youthful Orioles workforce that leads the Yankees within the race for second place within the American League East.
Orioles skipper Brandon Hyde additionally highlighted Hicks’ “veteran leadership” when discussing the “huge boost” he’s delivered to Baltimore.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Hyde continued. “I was hoping he could fill the void a little bit for us, play some outfield defense, give us a good at-bat. He’s always walked. We don’t have a ton of older veteran presences in our lineup. So I was hoping that he could come here and just kind of play easy and play like he has nothing to lose, and he did that.”
Hicks downplayed the concept this four-game sequence is an opportunity for him to show the Yankees improper. Instead, he spoke of the relationships he’s maintained since departing.
When Aaron Judge injured his toe a month in the past at Dodger Stadium, Hicks despatched his former captain a check-in textual content. Hicks additionally mentioned that he frequently speaks to Willie Calhoun, and Jose Trevino, Nick Ramirez and Luis Rojas had been amongst those that acquired on-field greetings Monday.
“When you change teams, you want your friends to do well,” Hicks mentioned.
Boone shared an identical sentiment, although the Yankees supervisor threw in a caveat.
“It will be good to see him out there,” Boone mentioned. “Hopefully we are able to comprise him a bit bit.
“But to his credit, he could have taken his ball and gone home, and he got right back out there and threw himself in the mix. I know he’s worked really hard to continue to earn opportunities over there.”
POST PERFECTION
Odds instructed that Monday’s starter, Domingo German, wasn’t going to out-do his final outing, when he threw an ideal recreation in Oakland on June 28.
German grew to become the twenty fourth pitcher ever to twirl such a gem, in addition to the fourth Yankee. His pinstriped predecessors didn’t fare that nicely of their first begins after changing into baseball immortals.
David Cone threw his good recreation on July 18, 1999 vs. the Expos. His subsequent begin noticed him permit six runs over 4 innings towards Cleveland, however solely two had been earned. Cone struck out seven, walked 4 and gave up two homers.
David Wells threw his perfecto on May 17, 1998 vs. the Twins. He went seven robust towards Boston in his subsequent begin, although he additionally served up two longballs whereas totaling three earned runs. Wells additionally walked one and struck out 5.
Don Larsen, who threw his good recreation towards the Dodgers on October 8 in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series, had the longest layoff between his historic feat and his subsequent look. The late pitcher didn’t begin once more till April 20, 1957. Larsen lasted simply 1.1 innings after allowing 4 earned runs.
AARON JUDGE UPDATE
Boone mentioned that he anticipates Judge doing extra than simply throwing on the sector earlier than the All-Star break, however the supervisor didn’t know specifics but. Judge started enjoying catch throughout the Yankees’ latest street journey to Oakland and St. Louis.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com