FanSided

Yankees: 3 potential replacements for Aaron Hicks after wrist injury

By Adam Weinrib |
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 07: Joey Gallo #13 of the Texas Rangers gestures skyward as he crosses the plate after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of the MLB spring training baseball game at Surprise Stadium on March 07, 2021 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 07: Joey Gallo #13 of the Texas Rangers gestures skyward as he crosses the plate after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of the MLB spring training baseball game at Surprise Stadium on March 07, 2021 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
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Will Aaron Hicks need surgery? At this point, it feels like the eternal question for the Yankees.

If he doesn’t need surgery now, will he soon? For either his troublesome wrist, or something else entirely? Probably! Who can say? Quite likely!

If the Yankees had a salary cap to deal with, Hicks’ extension would be looking more disastrous by the day.

Luckily, they do not. Whew. Glad Hal Steinbrenner didn’t artificially impose an unofficial cap. That would stink.

On Friday afternoon, the Yankees were dealt a blow of uncertainty when Hicks’ MRI came back unclean, but the team remained unsure to what extent. Hicks could be sidelined for the rest of the season following a surgical procedure — that’s what happened to Mark Teixeira in 2013.

Hicks could also be fine after a cortisone shot and a few days of rest — that’s what happened to…well, also Mark Teixeira, who suffered a lesser version of the same sheath tear at the start of the 2009 season and healed right up/nearly won the MVP.

Bottom line, here’s a thing that isn’t gonna cut it, any way you slice it.

Whether Hicks misses a week, a month, or a year, that is not going to cut it for a supposed contender.

The only outfielder on the 40-man roster who isn’t currently playing for the Yankees or waiting around on their bench is Estevan Florial, and odds are low he’ll be the one promoted.

Unless…

Let’s tackle all the possible options here, from internal refurbishments to (cheap) trade options.

These 3 options could replace Aaron Hicks in the Yankees outfield.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 28: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Estevan Florial #90 of the New York Yankees in action against the New York Mets at Yankee Stadium on August 28, 2020 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Yankees 6-4. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 28: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Estevan Florial #90 of the New York Yankees in action against the New York Mets at Yankee Stadium on August 28, 2020 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Yankees 6-4. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

3. Estevan Florial Comes Up…or the Yankees Add an OF to 40-Man?

Remember Mike Tauchman? He would’ve been the slam-dunk answer to this question a month ago.

Now, the Yankees are left either inserting Tyler Wade into the outfield (nah!), promoting Florial (eh?), or sacrificing some pitching depth to add another outfielder to the roster.

Florial has played 10 professional games above the High-A level; one of them came last year in MLB with the Yankees in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Mets, and the other nine just occurred with Double-A Somerset.

It’s no great coincidence that Florial’s hot start earned him a promotion to Triple-A earlier in the day on Friday. Four homers, lower strikeout numbers, and a glaring need at the MLB level will lead to something like that. The odds he’s the permanent solution here strike us somewhere between 15-20%.

The rest of the team’s minor-league outfield depth is even less likely to help, though there’s a chance they remove someone like Brooks Kriske or Albert Abreu from the 40-man (or try to unload them in some sort of small trade?) and add a veteran outfielder like Trey Amburgey to the big club.

We doubt that’s top of mind for the Yankees, especially after spending all offseason protecting these particular pitchers in favor of Garrett Whitlock and company. A month of injuries probably won’t change that calculus.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – MAY 12: David Peralta #6 of the Arizona Diamondbacks takes early batting practice prior to a game against the Miami Marlins at Chase Field on May 12, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – MAY 12: David Peralta #6 of the Arizona Diamondbacks takes early batting practice prior to a game against the Miami Marlins at Chase Field on May 12, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

2. Trade for David Peralta and Mess With CF

David Peralta of the Arizona Diamondbacks is not a true center fielder by any stretch of the imagination. recording 14 games as a rookie there in 2016 and eight in 2018…none since.

The main problem? There…aren’t many true centerfield options on the market, and there aren’t a lot of last-place teams looking to sell their centerfielders. Unless…the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim want to get involved? We’ll take Mike Trout off your hands, if it’s not too much trouble. We promise we’ll handle him with care.

In all seriousness, acquiring Peralta — who’s at the top of the game in hard-hit metrics and slots in mainly in left field — would be a nice addition for the Yankees, though it would involve some outfield restructuring. Brett Gardner would probably play more often than not (still), Clint Frazier would likely ride the pine more often than not (fine), and the Yanks would probably start Peralta primarily in left while testing him out in center on occasion.

Basically, if you like Peralta, it’s a tacit endorsement of Gardner to fill the Hicks void.

He’s a damned good player, though, as well as a burst of personality for a team that could be entering a rough patch. This season, Peralta’s sitting on a 116 OPS+ and five triples, which is more than the Yankees have as a team by a factor of…five. They have none.

The acquisition of Peralta made more sense when the Yankees had an outfield depth problem, not an outfield hole created by Hicks’ absence. Needless to say, though, Brett Gardner is already getting in Brian Cashman’s ear trying to make this one happen.

There is…one perfect option we haven’t covered yet.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – MAY 08: Joey Gallo #13 of the Texas Rangers runs the bases after a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners in the second inning at Globe Life Field on May 08, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – MAY 08: Joey Gallo #13 of the Texas Rangers runs the bases after a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners in the second inning at Globe Life Field on May 08, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

1. Trade for Joey Gallo

How have the Yankees not traded for Joey Gallo yet? Like…even prior to the Hicks injury and the Stanton soreness. How have the Yankees not traded for Joey Gallo in the time it took you to read this sentence?!

27 years old, on a rebuilding team stuck between battling and relenting, light-tower power, Gold Glove defense, and yes, he legitimately plays an above-average center field.

Gallo smashed 40+ homers in both 2017 and 2018 at the ages of 23 and 24, then put up an All-Star half-season in 2019, finally putting his average skills together with his pop before missing the remainder of the year with a nagging injury (broken hamate bone in his right wrist).

He suffered through a down shortened season (who didn’t?) but still showed off on-base skills, walking 29 times, OBP’ing .301 and hitting just .181. Elite patience. This year? More of the same. .206 average and a .350 OBP.

The strikeouts are absolutely a troublesome part of Gallo’s package, but let’s stop kidding ourselves. He wouldn’t be the only strikeout-prone bat in the Yankees lineup, his lefty power would play ridiculously well towards the short porch, and — remember — the Yanks have zero outfield depth. None. He would’ve been helpful long before Hicks’ wrist started to nag him, let alone Stanton’s lower legs.

Make the call tomorrow. Make the call before the night is up. We’re all counting on you.

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