This week, it’s a flame-throwing however unstable reliever who’s dealing with the warmth at Metropolis Corridor.
This was truly a reasonably robust week to determine who was going to see Mrs. Wu. Since our final assembly, the Purple Sox have solely misplaced one recreation! It’s loads simpler to complain about issues when the staff sucks. However relaxation assured, I dug deep and have discovered the poor soul who’s headed to Metropolis Corridor this time round.
Jordan Hicks, come on down. Hicks is the choice because of the DFA (and claiming by the Cardinals) of 1 Jorge Alcala. As unhealthy as Hicks has been, Alcala had undoubtedly been worse. Alas, Alcala is off to St. Louis, and Hicks is our man.
Since being acquired in some random commerce a number of weeks in the past, Hicks has thrown 10.1 innings for our Purple Sox. In these innings, he holds a 6.10 ERA, has walked 6 (and hit 2) whereas solely hanging out 8, and has surrendered 13 hits. That’s very unhealthy!
Because the righty hadn’t had an actual blow-up in his Boston tenure till Wednesday towards the Royals (I’m not counting that Twins recreation the place he warmed up after which sat 90 minutes towards him), we as followers have been capable of form of ignore his admittedly ugly stats. However when he entered a 1-run recreation on Wednesday and really rapidly made it a 4-run recreation, these ugly stats start to look us proper within the eyes.
This efficiency isn’t something new for the reliever-turned-starter-turned-reliever-again. He has all the time been the prototypical “throws fuel however doesn’t actually know the place it’s going” sort of man. Sadly for Hicks, he’s now hanging out fewer batters than ever earlier than, a career-low of simply 18.9 %. That’s an extremely scary place to be as a pitcher whose predominant draw up up to now has been his means to strike batters out.
I’d be silly to not convey up the elephant within the room with all of this: Hicks’ contract state of affairs. Hicks is owed $12 million in each 2026 and 2027. That’s some huge cash for an objectively mediocre reliever. Now, sure, these are the Boston Purple Sox. They’ll completely afford to only eat that cash if push involves shove, however the level stays.
Will push finally come to shove? I’m no psychic, but it surely form of appears that method. It’s good to have a pleasant mixture of lefties and righties in your bullpen. Because it stands proper now, Hicks is the third-most-trusted righty behind Garrett Whitlock and Greg Weissert. With Justin Slaten due again in some unspecified time in the future — in addition to Cooper Criswell, David Sandlin, Nick Burdi, and Tyler Uberstine all only a name away in Worcester — it’s fairly exhausting to see a path ahead for Hicks if he doesn’t rapidly get it collectively.
Mr. Hicks, Mayor Wu will see you now.
