Hicks just can’t dodge recent slump

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Aaron Hicks’ nightmarish season continued Sunday, although not in the way you might imagine.

The slumping center fielder went hitless again, but in back-to-back RBI situations, Hicks hit the ball hard and still came up empty.

He first lined out to third with two on and no one out in the sixth and then ran into more bad luck in the eighth.

With the Yankees down by two runs and Gleyber Torres on third, Hicks hit a screamer back up the middle, but Taylor Walls, playing second base, made a terrific diving play and throw to first for the final out.

“It was a great at-bat and a great play,’’ Aaron Boone said.

It was the latest in a string of rough games for Hicks, who’s missed plenty of time in recent seasons due to a variety of injuries.

And even though he was healthy this season until being sidelined by right hamstring tightness, hitting coach Dillon Lawson said he believes the lack of plate appearances since 2018 continues to have an impact.

“He’s trying to get back to his normal self after being in and out [of the lineup]

over the last few years for one reason or another,” Lawson said. “Things

change even when you don’t mean for them to. Your normal feels different than it used to. We’re trying to get him back to where he was before.”

It’s been a long time coming.

After finishing with a .627 OPS last season before being shut down because of a torn sheath in his wrist, Hicks entered Sunday with a .577 OPS on the season with only two extra-base hits.

And he was just 14-for-87 with a double, four RBIs, 14 walks and 27 strikeouts in his previous 29 games.

“We’re looking back at what made him, him,’’ Lawson said. “When he was hitting .270 with 25 home runs and we’re trying to get him back to that.”

Lately, Boone said he’s seen Hicks get away from his typical approach.

“I feel like he’s pressed in certain situations,’’ Boone said before the game. “Controlling the strike zone has been a hallmark through his career and at times [recently], he’s tried to chase that hit a little bit. That can get you in trouble as a hitter. Sometimes you want it so bad, you start playing into the hands of the pitcher.”

Hicks had two multi-hit games in his previous four starts prior to Sunday.

“The last couple days before he sat out, we felt like he was getting better,’’ Lawson said. “There’s stuff to be excited about.”

He’s been more productive as a right-handed hitter, with a .758 OPS in 42 plate appearances, but just .501 in 99 plate appearances from the left side.

Batting as a righty against southpaw Shane McClanahan on Sunday, Hicks flied out to right and struck out before coming up with two on and no one out in the sixth.

He turned on a pitch, but lined it right to third.

Overall, Hicks is hitting the ball in the air less than ever before and his exit velocity is down slightly.

“He has an expectation for himself and when he doesn’t meet that, he takes it personally,’’ Lawson said. “He’s gonna keep working. A lot of people would shut down and give up, but he’s spending so much time in the video room and going over pregame information. He’s doing extra sessions in the cage to make sure he can feel right as soon as possible.”

Yanks notes / P. 38