Yankees: 5 possible trade candidates with hot stove nearing

4. Aaron Hicks

Hicks being dealt is probably just as unlikely as Torres, but for a totally different reason. The Yankees would have to eat a significant portion of his contract for a team to even dream of expressing interest.

The switch-hitter has been unable to stay on the field ever since signing his seven-year extension prior to 2019 and he’ll make an average of $10 million per season through 2025. Let’s be nice here and project the Yankees would have to pay for half of that to get him out of the Bronx.

Then again, keeping Hicks as a fourth outfielder and part-time DH could help the team cope with his regrettable contract. They cannot go into 2022 with him as the starting center fielder after what’s happened the past three years. But then that means Brett Gardner likely isn’t returning, assuming Cashman finds a new center fielder? Don’t need five veteran outfielders. Really don’t.

But in the event of talking trades, perhaps Hicks gets sent to Oakland as part of a larger deal for Olson. The A’s do need outfield help and they value switch-hitting/OBP bats. The Yankees paying for half of his contract makes him a $5 million per year outfielder, which really isn’t bad, especially if he can stay on the field for ~100 games.

It’ll take some work to get this done, but it’s not impossible.