3 teams regretting moves as playoffs unfold and one team that looks incredibly wise
By Josh Wilson
Yankees watching Aaron Hicks slug has to make fans puke
Regret might be a strong word here, because it's highly unlikely that keeping Aaron Hicks on the Yankees roster really would have returned much in terms of final results for New York. That said, fans in the Bronx watching Hicks go beast mode in the postseason definitely evokes emotions of disgust. Maybe reflexes of illness, too.
Hicks was a longtime struggling batter in New York whose struggles eventually started to permeate his fielding as well. Eventually, his poor play became untenable and the Yankees became desperate to make whatever moves they could to try to increase the talent density of the squad and get themselves closer to the postseason.
New York waived Hicks, and the division rival Baltimore Orioles signed him. After posting a .524 OPS in New York in 2023, he showed up in Baltimore with an .806 in 65 games.
WHAT?!
A change of scenery was all he needed, evidently. Perhaps the low expectations that came with an overperforming, young Baltimore team reduced the pressure on him to succeed, helping him get around the mental jail he seemed to be in at the plate in New York.
In a Game 2 loss to the Texas Rangers in the ALDS on Sunday, Hicks had 5 RBI on two hits (one home run). The most RBI he had in a playoff game with the Yankees was three. Fans were quick to point out that Hicks only racked up 5 RBI with New York in his 28 games in 2023.