New York Yankees outfielder, Aaron Hicks, was snubbed in the opening-day roster as Oswaldo Cabrera started ahead of him.
Aaron Hicks, the not-so-very fan favorite of the New York Yankees fan base, had a tough time last season. In 2022, he scored .216 with 8 home runs and 40 RBIs. On top of that, the outfielder is sitting on a $70 million contract. Naturally, the fans feel Hicks is not doing justice to his existing payroll and should be ousted on an immediate basis.
However, the Yankees front office turned a blind eye to all the negatives and continued to back Aaron Hicks. This season, they handed him the left-field duties in the Grapefruit League. While he put up average numbers with the bat, his multiple lapses in the field once again made him the bad guy. And maybe that’s what prompted the Bombers to exclude the veteran from the opening-day lineup.
Aaron Boone Explains The Key Reason Behind Aaron Hicks’ Opening Day Snub
In a surprising turn of events, the New York Yankees chose utility player Oswaldo Cabrera over Aaron Hicks in the left field. Hicks’ who spent the spring training being a front-runner for the role, suddenly missed out on the spot. Meanwhile, Aaron Boone, the Yankees skipper, came out with an explanation. He said Cabrera kind of earned the spot with his spring performance. Just to refresh your memory, Oswaldo scored 333 with 4 home runs in 20 game appearances. Hence, Boone felt he is the right person for the job.
However, the skipper did not rule out Aaron Hicks’ odds of a comeback. Boone added that he liked the outfielder’s at-bats towards the end of the spring session and confirmed that he would play a huge role in the latter half of the season. While Cabrera is likely to continue as a regular left fielder, Hicks can cover for Harrison Bader in the center. Bader is out indefinitely due to oblique issues. Hence, the outfielder has an opportunity to fill in for him. Regardless, it remains to be seen what the future holds for Hicks, who is possibly in the last stretch of his career.
Hicks Booed At The Opening Day Despite Missing Out On The Lineup
Aaron Hicks has a mostly hate relationship with the New York Yankees fan base. For the most part of the last season, the outfielder had to bear loads of verbal heckling from the Yankees home crowd owing to his poor run. However, this season, the fans stoop a new low. During the opening day introductions of the team, the fans booed when Hicks’ name was announced. This came at a time when Aaron was not even a part of the opening-day lineup.
On the other hand, speaking on the heckling incidents, Aaron Hicks earlier opened up and said he is not bothered by it at all. He understands the feelings of the fans and rather tries to avoid paying any attention to them. His main goal is to work hard and contribute to the team’s success to the best of his ability.