The New York Yankees may not be done just yet in making moves over the ongoing offseason.
On Sunday, USA Today Sports’ Bob Nightengale provided updates on multiple offseason-related matters, including on just where the Yankees stand on the futures of Aaron Hicks and Josh Donaldson. Nightengale noted that the reigning AL East champions continue to let teams know that both players are “still very much available.”
Nightengale added that the Yankees are “willing to eat part” of their remaining due salaries. Donaldson is owed $21.75 million for the 2023 campaign, and he holds a $16 million team option for the following season that includes an $8 million buyout. On the other hand, Hicks is under contract with the team for four more years.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did recently offer his stamp of approval to Donaldson, as he noted that the veteran infielder will “definitely” be the team’s starting third baseman for the coming season.
For Hicks, Cashman is hoping to see him put together a bounce-back year.
“He will be back and healthy,” Cashman said during his end-of-season press conference in November. “He's signed under contract. He will come back and try to take and earn a position back and a place that we can count on.
“He does have the ability, we just weren't able to tap into it consistently this past year and I know he was frustrated by that. … He's a member of this team, and we're gonna do everything we can to get him healthy and right and get him back on track. Unless something changes there, with discussions elsewhere, but that's true of anybody on the roster that doesn't have a no-trade clause.”
Donaldson is coming off of a sluggish 2022 regular season where he posted a .222 batting average and also logged an OPS+ of 94 — his lowest since 2012. Hicks also had an up-and-down year, as he recorded a .216 batting average over 130 games played. His season came to an end after he suffered a notable knee injury during the ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians.
It will be noteworthy to see whether the Yankees will be able to soon find new homes for the two sluggers.
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