Ever heard of a “Swing Badder Contract”? It’s when a baseball team signs a player to a big contract, hoping for some serious bang for their buck, only to find out they’ve got more of a whimper. Well, today we’re talking about a prime example of that with the New York Yankees and Aaron Hicks.
Back in 2019, the Yanks signed Hicks to a seven-year deal worth a cool $70 million. Now, if you’re not a baseball person, you might be thinking, “Wow, that’s a lot of dough!” And you’d be right. The Yankees were expecting big things from Hicks—clutch hits, diving catches, you name it. But, as with many things in life, things didn’t quite go as planned.
Instead of the hoped-for heroics, Hicks was more often found on the injured list than on the field. And when he did play, let’s just say his stats weren’t exactly impressive. In fact, in his 28 games this season, Hicks was only hitting .188/.263/.261.
So what did the Yankees do? They made the tough call to designate Hicks for assignment. It’s a decision that essentially means they’re willing to pay Hicks $20 million just to walk away. Ouch. Talk about a Swing Badder Contract.
As for who’s stepping in to take Hicks’s place, the Yankees traded for Greg Allen, a quick and versatile outfielder. While he’s got some big shoes to fill, the Yankees are hoping he can bring some fresh energy to the team and help them maintain their competitive edge.
So there you have it, folks: a prime example of a Swing Badder Contract in action. It’s a tough lesson for the Yankees and a reminder to all of us that in baseball, like in life, not all that glitters is gold. Here’s hoping the Yanks can bounce back from this misstep and that Hicks finds success in his next baseball chapter.
Badder on, everyone!