MULING OPTIONS
Boone evaluating Yankees' roster after Hicks lands on IL
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Aaron Hicks will join Luis Severino on the injured list to open the season and force the Yankees into discussions on how they will configure a roster that was pretty much set at the beginning of spring training.
“I guess there are a few different options. I’ll leave it to you guys to speculate because we haven’t made any decisions,’’ Aaron Boone said before Sunday’s 7-3 win over the Phillies at Spectrum Field. “For us, it is to evaluate and make the best decisions. We don’t think it’s going to be a long time for Hicks, but that will factor into it. How many pitchers we go with and how long we will be without. Those will be conversations that we’ll have.’’
Hicks had a second cortisone shot in his lower back Sunday and hasn’t played since March 1. He can be backdated on the IL to March 25.
“They’re hoping this [second cortisone shot] flushes it out. I don’t feel it when I’m walking. It’s only when I start ramping it up,’’ said Hicks, who signed a seven-year, $70 million deal shortly before being felled by the back issue that is causing discomfort when he does rotational movements.
Hicks said he is shooting to be ready the second series of the regular season, a threegame set against the Tigers at Yankee Stadium that opens April 1. However, if he is backdated to March 25, he won’t be eligible to come off the IL until April 4.
Boone said he will slide Brett Gardner from left to center at the beginning of the season and hope Hicks’ problem doesn’t linger longer than the Detroit series.
With Gardner in center, Giancarlo Stanton could handle left field after appearing in 36 games (35 starts) there a year ago, when he played the position for the first time in the big leagues.
Not having Hicks available will force the Yankees to decide whether Clint Frazier is ready to be a fourth outfielder, consider the benefits of carrying a 14th pitcher, wonder whether Tyler Wade, an infielder who has dabbled in the outfield, can handle center well enough to make the club and whether there is enough room for Luke Voit and Greg Bird to make the team.
“I don’t think anything about how I feel about where they are,’’ Boone said of Voit and Bird, who have hit well (they each homered Sunday) and not hurt themselves in the field. “We’re looking at two impact players. It’s more of a case now that both could be part of things. I know I’m looking at two very good players.’’
If Hicks is shelved longer than the Yankees think, Wade enters the picture as somebody who can back up in left, center and right. He also offers the ability to play second, third and short and serve as a pinchrunner late in the game.
Wade started in center field Sunday, and Boone said the left-handed hitting utility player would spend a lot of time in the outfield during the final week of exhibition games.
“We’ll get him more reps in the outfield this week,’’ Boone said. “He’s played a fair amount of outfield already.’’
Wade, 23, was on the Opening Day roster a year ago, but has played just 66 big-league games in the past two seasons.
“I’m pretty comfortable at all three [outfield spots],’’ Wade said.
Ideally, the Yankees would like Frazier to get consistent atbats after playing in just 15 big-league games last season because of concussion issues. Until Hicks went down, those at-bats were likely to be had at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. They still might be, but the big-league door is ajar.
“Need plays a part, [but] when guys are down you have to consider that, too. You kind of strike that balance between the need in the short term but also, especially a player of his potential, you want to consider the long-term well-being as well,’’ Boone said of Frazier, who the manager said has been swinging the bat better and showing improved defense in left field.