Center fielder Aaron Hicks and reliever Dellin Betances represent a pair of the Yankees’ best soon-to-be free agents, but it’s possible the team will prevent them from reaching the open market next winter. The club has “broached” contract extensions with Hicks and Betances, James Wagner of the New York Times reports. It’s unclear whether the Yankees have made headway in talks with either player, however.
After joining the Yankees in a November 2015 trade with the Twins, Hicks endured a 2016 to forget in his first season in the Bronx. He has since blossomed into one of the majors’ most valuable center fielders, though, as he combined for 8.2 fWAR and in 225 games and 942 plate appearances from 2017-18. Hicks derived most of his value last season from his bat, with which he produced a potent .248/.366/.467 line. Along the way, the switch-hitting Hicks managed career highs in home runs (27), wRC+ (127) and isolated power (.219), also posting an excellent walk rate (15.5 percent, compared to an above-average strikeout percentage of 19.1), stealing 11 bases on 13 tries and earning elite overall baserunning marks from FanGraphs. Defensive Runs Saved (minus-3) and Ultimate Zone Rating (0.7) weren’t enamored of Hicks’ work in center, especially compared to his output in 2017 (15 DRS, 7.0 UZR), but he was still worth a lofty 4.9 fWAR on the season.
Now, as he enters his age-29 season, Hicks is open to an extension to remain in New York.
“It’s an amazing place with a great future and of course it’s something I’d like to be a part of,” Hicks told Wagner, and he suggested earlier in the week (via Randy Miller of NJ.com) that the contract A.J. Pollock signed with the Dodgers in free agency this offseason could be a starting point in negotiations.
“Of course,” Hicks said of Pollock’s four-year, $60MM guarantee. “When center fielders get contracts, of course I’m going to get excited about that. He’s a good player and he’s going to a good team.”
Hicks was the better, more durable player than Pollock over the previous two seasons, and the former’s also two years younger than the latter. Hicks’ reps at CAA Sports are sure to emphasize those points in their discussions with the Yankees, and as we noted earlier in the offseason, they could perhaps try to push their client closer to the $80MM-plus guarantees center fielders Dexter Fowler and Lorenzo Cain signed during the 2016 and ’17 offseasons, respectively. For now, Hicks is slated to make a more-than-reasonable $6MM salary in 2019 after avoiding arbitration with the Yankees last month.
Betances, like Hicks, avoided arbitration in January, agreeing to a $7.125MM sum. It’s the second straight year in which the two sides found common ground and forewent arbitration, which is notable given the battle between Betances and the Yankees in February 2017. Back then, the sides engaged in a contentious arbitration hearing which culminated in a win for the Yankees and a public spat between Betances’ camp and team president Randy Levine. Betances hinted then that he was looking forward to free agency, but it’s unknown whether the New York City native has changed his stance since then.
What is clear is that Betances has been a world-class setup man dating back to his 2014 debut. Over his first half-decade in the majors, the towering right-hander led all relievers in fWAR (11.6) and innings pitched (373 1/3), and he also ranked toward the top of the sport in ERA (2.22), FIP (2.26) and K/9 (14.63, compared to 3.91 BB/9). Betances is now coming off a year in which he continued to pump high-90s heat while logging a strong 2.70 ERA/2.47 FIP across 66 2/3 frames, over which he registered a ridiculous 15.53 strikeouts per nine (trailing only teammate Aroldis Chapman and the Brewers’ Josh Hader in that regard) against a manageable 3.51 BB/9.
All of Betances’ numbers suggest the Excel Sports Management client is on track to land a sizable deal sometime before the 2020 season, whether from the Yankees or another team. While youth isn’t necessarily on Betances’ side – he’ll turn 31 next month – similarly aged, arguably less desirable relievers such as teammate Zack Britton (three years, $39MM) and the Rockies’ Wade Davis (three years, $52MM) have scored big deals in free agency dating back to December 2017. Betances could also be keeping an eye on free agent Craig Kimbrel, who’s had a difficult time on the market over the past few months but still figures to rake in a lucrative contract before the upcoming campaign.
While the Yankees are clearly interested in keeping Hicks and Betances in the fold for the foreseeable future, they aren’t the championship hopefuls’ only notable pending free agents. Injured shortstop Didi Gregorius, outfielder Brett Gardner and backup catcher Austin Romine are also scheduled to reach the market after the season. It’s unknown if the Yankees have discussed new contracts with any of them, however.
that’s why having a 30 Million dollar ball players does not make sense, it hinders you from doing extensions and other workable contracts .if you want to keep players . . The only thing having 30 Million dollar ball players does is keep the working class home form going to games.wit the kids.
Player salaries have nothing to do with ticket prices or with concessions prices.
Whoever starred the notion that ticket prices are caused by player salaries has started an epidemic. Where did they possibly get that idea from?
So ticket sales have nothing to do with concession prices? Ok, I’ll bite.
If ZERO tickets were sold and teams played in an empty stadium, every concession worker would be fired and ZERO concession items would be sold. Jobs lost. Revenue lost.
I bet casual and non fans watching a game on TV with an empty stadium flip to another channel immediately. A huge crowd at the ballpark sparks greater interest for those watching at home or the bar.
Lose-Lose. You need people attending games. They go hand in hand and yes, they have something to do with player salaries beyond monetary.
No not ticket prices based on concession prices. I’m not sure if they’re connected, never really looked into that. But both of those have nothing to do with player salaries, which is what the initial poster was alluding to.
@JackCurryYES with the BOMBSHELL news:
“Aaron Hicks has agreed to a 7-year, $70M extension with the Yankees. The team will announce the extension later today.” (twitter.com/Mike_Mineo/status/1100017267386003457)
7 yr/70M extension Yanks’ largest for non-FA since Jeter in 2001.
If you truly care about winning staying with a team with 25 straight winning seasons should make u amendable to taking a deal that’s big but, still allows the team to keep its core. Or be Manny and get every last penny and never sniff post season as they will never afford real SP and believe that all their farm players will be all hits.
Hicks is not worth more then 4/50’as he’s past his prime and has no history of consistent play. And he’s always injured. But, I think Hicks will sign and Delin likes NY, winning and the media exposure he gets. But, if he replicated 2017 he’s scewed.
Hicks is worth more than Pollock’s $60M
Your logic puzzles me. He just had the best season in his career, is 29, has only been a full time player in the last two seasons and yet you claim that he’s past his prime? hicks was a heralded player from the start. seems to me he’s coming into his own. Id gamble 4/$48-$4/$60 on him.
I think people have this idea that the prime-age among athletes is uniform.
he’ll be 29 for the entirety of the season. he won’t command top dollar. i think 30, 31, 32 and 33 are safe. his game isn’t based on speed. he can slide to LF if needed. not a big risk and not a lot of CF options better available.
4/60 minimum for hicks.
Yanks will wrap it up then surprise everyone with Harper.
Keep dreaming.
Who cares ?
Harper going to Phillies youngster. Enjoy that!
And minnesota is still enjoying the rich exploits of John Ryan Murphy. Oh wait…
Gotta love that Terry Ryan front office.
They really really thought Hicks breakout year was a fluke – not a fluke.
Hicks is another one of Cashman’s great pick ups, I would think the Yanks resign both of them along with Didi.
I think the Yankees resign all three for an AAV of what Mookie Betts will get in his FA contract.
Funny, I thought Yankees didn’t do extensions. Yet this offseason everyone is in talks about extensions. Even the injured Didi who they should have extended years ago.
They used to not really negotiate extensions with players that were still under contract, but this isn’t George Steinbrenner’s Yankees anymore.. They’ve been showing more and more that they are open to early extensions with certain players.
I’d like to see the Yanks reward Betances with a 3-4 year extension. He’s supremely underrated.
Since 2014 he’s got the highest WAR among relief pitchers and I think might be the only to top 100 k’s 5 year in a row. 3/$30 to 4/$45 mil?
Please with the defensive analytics. Hicks was the same defender in 2018 as he was in 2017. No way his defense deteriorated that much year to year. What a joke. Smh.
Defensive analytics are so subjective imo and they inflate war for mediocre players too much. I don’t like them either. Hicks defense was the same I agree as I watch him regularly. The only thing I can think of that effected those stats is that unlike 2017 he was an everyday player so he had more defensive opportunities
Or maybe, those players mediocre players you think are getting an unbalanced inflation, aren’t so mediocre.
Defense has value, and every year we get better at quantifying it.
It has value indeed but I think “WAR” undervalues offense
..Which WAR do you use..? There are 2..(fWAR) and (rWAR)
I wouldn’t extend Hicks at 80 million. I like Hicks but his swing has holes in it and he goes into long sustained droughts at the plate. I love his arm but question his path to the balk in cf at times he’s like a pretzel out there. I just would t offer him 80. I would consider 60 mill which is what AJ Pollock got at 4 years max.
I agree
Hicks is talented but streaky. He killed the Yanks offensively in the 2017 ALCS.
I also agree on your take regarding his defense. He gets the job done, but it sometimes isn’t pretty. Gardner remains the best defensive CFer on the Yanks, imo.