Aaron Hicks continues to thrive since joining the Orioles, homering in Baltimore’s latest series against the Rays, raising his OPS to 1.048 since signing with the Yankees’ AL East foes.
As Hicks looks like a reborn hitter in his new surroundings, the Yankees are left to wonder what could have been.
“You do wonder what you could have done differently,’’ Boone said Wednesday, via the New York Post. “You always think that when something doesn’t work out. We bet on the talent, so we know he’s a talented guy.”
Of course, the answer might just be nothing. Hicks was thriving in New York when he signed a seven-year contract extension after the 2018 season, but quickly bottomed out to the point where he became a consistent target from Yankee fans, frustrated at his disappearing offensive production and defensive miscues. Hicks may have simply just needed a change of scenery.
“He wasn’t performing and then he had to move on and sometimes that happens,’’ Yankees hitting coach Dillon Lawson said, via The Post. “Now he’s somewhere else and sometimes that helps. He had a hard time here, obviously, the last little while and being in a different environment can always help.”
While Hicks is helping the Orioles stay ahead of the Yankees in the division, Boone is happy that his former player is seemingly enjoying the game again thanks to a fresh start.
“It’s to his credit that he’s done this,’’ Boone said. “He could have taken his ball and gone home. Instead, he got after it, went back into the fire in this division and figured out a way to contribute for a team that’s playing well. I’m glad he’s doing well.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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