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Yankees' Hicks: I don't know what my future holds

Steven Ryan / Getty Images Sport / Getty

A difficult season for New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks is coming to an end, and he seemed to concede an offseason move could be best for all parties.

"I don't know," Hicks told Dan Martin of the New York Post on Saturday when asked if he'd be able to play in New York for another year. "The Yankees are gonna have to make a decision and I'll wait for whatever happens. It's not really my call."

Manager Aaron Boone thinks Hicks could still play "a very important" role for the Yankees but acknowledged deadline acquisition Harrison Bader, who's likely to come off the injured list Tuesday, may take his playing time. Hicks expects Bader "to come in and start playing every day, as he should," but also thinks he could turn things around if given more chances - whether in the Bronx or elsewhere.

"As of right now, I feel the more I play, the better I'm gonna play," Hicks said. "That's not what's going on right now. Things are tough in New York. ... If they feel this isn't the right fit for me, that's their call. If I do go to another team, I know I can help them win."

Hicks has often been a solid contributor over his seven seasons in the Bronx. A career-best 2018 campaign in which he hit 27 homers with a .833 OPS prompted the team to hand him a seven-year extension.

But the 32-year-old, who has another three years and $30.5 million left on his deal, has struggled to live up to the contract's expectations. After playing just 145 games over the first three seasons of his deal thanks to a combination of injuries and the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Hicks has put up a career-worst .624 OPS with just 16 extra-base hits in 415 plate appearances this year.

Things came to a head Sept. 9 when he was benched midgame after a pair of misplays in the outfield led to heckles from fans.

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