Aaron Hicks

The Yankees center fielder delivered the tie-breaking double in Thursday night's series-opener. Facing Indians ace -- and reigning AL Cy Young Winner -- Corey Kiulber, Hicks worked a long at bat in the top of the 8th inning, fouling off several pitches to help wear down the man on the mound. 
Finally, Kluber's 114th pitch of the night was in Hicks' happy zone. He crushed it -- banging it off the center field wall as Didi Gregorius raced home from 2nd base. The Yankees had the lead for keeps.
Touted as a battle of aces, with Kluber facing the Yankees' best Luis Severino, the hitters prevailed: Cleveland got home runs from Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Ramierez; the Yankees got a pair from Brett Gardner en route to their 7-4 victory.
But Hicks came through in the biggest moment of the game. Still just 28, it's been a decade since the Twins made him the 14th overall pick of the 2008 draft. Minnesota envisioned him as a cornerstone player alongside Joe Mauer, a power hitter with speed and plus defensive ability. But he never put it together -- injuries and underwhelming numbers held Hicks back. His three Minnesota years could be described as "Meh." Aaron never played 100 games in a season or drove in more than 33 runs.
Brian Cashman and his staff felt the potential was there: they grabbed him in the winter of 2016, for backup catcher John Ryan Murphy. Though his first season in the Bronx offered glimpses of talent -- the results weren't much different from Minnesota.
Something kicked in last year; for two months, Hicks played like an all star. Taking advantage of an injury to Jacoby Ellsbury, he suddenly looked like the player the Twins though they drafted, establishing career highs in every stat. But from late June on, he was slowed by injuries.
2018 has been even better; after starting the year on the DL, he's been a steady contributor -- highlighted by his three-homer game July 1st against the Red Sox. And Thursday, Hicks cashed in again for the Yankees.
His challenge over the last 70 games: remaining healthy and proving to Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone that his name needs to be on that lineup card every day alongside Judge, Stanton, Torres and Sanchez.
(This image of Aaron Hicks is from an April 2018 Yankees/Marlins game in the Bronx.)

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