“F**k” - Aaron Hicks couldn’t digest his own failed attempt to steal a base, frustrated after watching teammate's homer
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks probably thought he was going to lose some sleep last night after getting caught stealing. If he hadn't tried catching Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk sleeping, the Yankees would've taken a lead in the sixth inning.
The game ended in a Yankees blowout, so it didn't matter. But Hicks sure thought it did at the time. Here's what went down.
Aaron Hicks frustratedly watches his teammate homer after getting caught stealing
It was the top of the sixth at Rogers Centre, and the Yankees trailed 0-1. Not a mighty deficit, but Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah was making life tough for the Yankees lineup. When Hicks stepped to the plate in the sixth, Manoah had retired fifteen straight batters. He was rolling along. The Yankees desperately needed some offense if they wanted to keep their nine-game winning streak alive.
Aaron Hicks single to break up a streak of 15 consecutive batters retired by Manoah https://t.co/DguaLZF8er
"Aaron Hicks single to break up a streak of 15 consecutive batters retired by Manoah" - @Talkin' Yanks
And then Hicks singled. He had to be feeling pretty good about himself as his slugging teammate Aaron Judge stepped up to the plate after him. Hicks watched Judge go down 0-2 in the count. Everyone knew Manoah would use his signature slider to try striking out Judge. It was just a matter of knowing when he would use it.
Manoah went to his slider on the next pitch. It was perfect, breaking just before crossing the plate and dipping down and away. But Judge's eye was better, and he watched it for a ball. Manoah reset and went back into his stretch. Hicks jumped on the pitch. It was another slider. Kirk caught the ball down and away again for a ball, then jumped up and threw a strike to Santiago Espinal at second base. He easily tagged a sliding Hicks for the out.
Should've been 2-1 if Aaron Hicks knew how to get a good jump... https://t.co/T2iFzXkg8p
"Should've been 2-1 if Aaron Hicks knew how to get a good jump..." - @Bronx Central
Two pitches later, Aaron Judge homered to deep right field. It was a monster shot into the second deck. Everyone in the ballpark knew it was gone as soon as it left Judge's bat. But nobody knew better than Aaron Hicks.
A no-doubter for @TheJudge44. 😱 https://t.co/kvWMTqh7RI
"A no-doubter for @TheJudge44" - @MLB
Take a look at his reaction. Instead of celebrating his teammate tying the game, Hicks hangs his head and emits an obvious f-bomb. He was the go-ahead run, and he squandered it on the base path.
"fuck" - Aaron Hicks seeing the Judge homer after getting caught stealing https://t.co/k9yxJRCLdX
"'f**k' - Aaron Hicks seeing the Judge homer after getting caught stealing" - @Talkin' Yanks
This might teach Hicks a valuable lesson: stay put when Judge is at the plate. He's got a good chance of hitting his teammates home on any given day.