The New York Yankees have spent the offseason searching for a left fielder.
Whether general manager Brian Cashman didn’t look hard enough for the right player, or didn’t want to spend the money to fill the slot, LF remains a question mark entering the 2023 season.
But Cashman told SiriusXM MLB Network Radio Sunday he believes the Yankees already have the answer on their roster. That would be Aaron Hicks.
Many Yankees fans do not want to hear that, after Hicks’ miserable 2022 campaign. The 33-year-old veteran slashed .216/.330/.313, with an 86 OPS+ But Cashman made the case for Hicks.
“I suspect he will be the guy that emerges [in left field], because he is still really talented and everything is there,” Cashman said (via the New York Post). “Hopefully we can get the Aaron Hicks we know is in there back as a consistent player for us.”
Hicks will compete in spring training with recently acquired outfielder Willie Calhoun, a former Texas Rangers prospect, along with Estevan Florial and Oswaldo Cabrera.
Yankees fans did not seem enthused by Cashman’s comments about Hicks.
“You could stick a rake in the outfield and it would be better than Hicks,” tweeted a fan.
You could stick a rake in the outfield and it would be better than hicks
— Amy (@nyygirl71) January 22, 2023
But really, Yankees fans have been preparing for this news the entire offseason.
“I’m preparing myself for the announcement that Aaron Hicks will be the starting left fielder,” a fan tweeted Dec. 22.
I’m preparing myself for the announcement that Aaron Hicks will be the starting left fielder
— Jonathan (@Jon_94_) December 23, 2022
We’ll see how Hicks does for the Yankees this season.