New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed on Monday that outfielder Aaron Hicks has expressed frustration to him about his heretofore limited role. The switch-hitting Hicks will be making his first start of the season on Monday night, batting seventh and playing left field when the Yankees take on the Philadelphia Phillies (GameTracker). He had appeared in just one of the Yankees' first three games, receiving a pinch-hit at-bat in Saturday's loss.
Boone claimed that he's had conversations with Hicks about his role dating back to spring training, and noted that he tries to be transparent with what he's thinking and what matchups he's eyeing. He added that the Yankees' shifting roster -- they've added two players from outside the organization to their active roster in the last week, in outfielder Franchy Cordero and pitcher Colten Brewer -- have and will continue to alter the playing-time dynamic.
"The role can revolve and change," Boone said during his pregame media session. "The biggest thing is I want him to be ready for every opportunity."
Boone's comments come a day after Hicks publicly expressed ignorance about his purpose on the Yankees roster. "I have no idea what my role is," he told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic on Sunday. "It's kind of uncertain."
Here's a look at how the Yankees have divvied up their outfield playing time through three games:
Hicks, 33, is in his eighth season with the Yankees. Whereas he was formerly a productive player who the front office extended on a seven-year, $70 million contract, he's since fallen upon hard times. Dating back to the start of the 2021 campaign, he's produced an 82 OPS+ -- well below the 108 mark he hit for over his first five years in the Bronx. The Yankees have, in turn, relegated Hicks further down their depth chart. To wit, on Sunday they started Isiah Kiner-Falefa, last year's shortstop, in center field instead of turning to Hicks.
Hicks' distaste with his playing time dates back to last September, when he told reporters he wasn't sure if he had a future with the Yankees. "When I get opportunities, I'll try to make the most of them," he said then, "but it's extremely hard when I play a game and then I'm off for three days and now there's another outfielder out there."
Moving or moving on from Hicks would be painful for the Yankees from a financial perspective. His contract stipulates he'll earn nearly $11 million this season and then close to $20 million combined over the next two years. The Yankees may reach a point where they have no choice but to accept a sunk cost, either by outright releasing him or retaining enough of his salary for another team to trade for him. For now, though, they don't appear to be at that point -- even if their continued coexistence is becoming more awkward with every passing lineup card that doesn't bear Hicks' name in a starting capacity.
