Seems like Giancarlo Stanton's injury saved Aaron Hicks' job with Yankees

Thought you were moving closer to a resolution between the Yankees and Aaron Hicks, didn't you, Squidward?

After all, just a few days ago, the Yankees had two players to demote/DFA when Josh Donaldson and Harrison Bader returned. Willie Calhoun seemed like an obvious (and sad) option, but the second player was fated to be ... Franchy Cordero?! No, that can't be right. You can't DFA your RBI leader. It would finally have to be Hicks, with nearly $30 million of his contract eaten in the process.

But, of course, the best-laid plans of mice and Brian Cashman often go awry. Giancarlo Stanton's Grade 2 hamstring strain has given the Yankees an easier out here. When Donaldson comes back, that likely means placeholder (and, technically, top prospect) Oswald Peraza goes back down to Scranton. When Bader returns, Calhoun probably goes.

But just because Hicks is likelier to stick around now, that doesn't mean the Yankees necessarily owe him a larger opportunity. Sadly, that's just what Aaron Boone declared they'd be attempting.

Yankees promise to give Aaron Hicks chance after Giancarlo Stanton injury

As Boone told Jon Heyman this week:

"“We’re going to mix and match,” manager Aaron Boone said when asked about Hicks. “Obviously, it’s a blow when Giancarlo is not in the lineup. But that being said, Hicksy is a switch hitter. I do feel we can mix and match and get it done. And we’ll have to. It will require some more guys to step up and play some different roles. ... Hicksy’s going to play a role.”"

Aaron Boone

See, Hicks can switch-hit, which means he can strike out while wildly flailing from both sides of the plate. Obviously, that's a huge bonus for the mix-and-match Yankees. You can't get that kind of versatile sucking everywhere.

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You know this is next-level hogwash because it came with an addendum where Boone admitted he believes Hicks has learned to tune out the booing and move past it. Doubtful. In Sunday's three-strikeout performance, he looked like a petulant child at the plate, guessing wrong, hacking wildly, and tossing his equipment on the grass when he was done struggling.

If anything, the Yankees will need much more offense from the positions Hicks occupies with Stanton on the shelf. They can't risk the massive downgrade of playing someone who hasn't earned it, both with attitude and performance. Unfortunately, their public comments indicate they'll be taking the opposite path, trying one last desperate time to motivate their $30 million man.