Jordan Hicks Makes Strong First Impression In Promising Red Sox Debut
Fifteen days after trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a stunning move, the Boston Red Sox finally got their first glimpse of the return.
Devers netted pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks along with prospects James Tibbs and Jose Bello. Hicks, who was on the 15-day injured list with toe inflammation at the time, was the first of the quartet to debut for the Red Sox.
After a pair of rehab appearances at Triple-A Worcester (which is where Harrison is as well), Hicks was activated from the IL on Monday and pitched an inning in Boston’s 13-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Fenway Park.
With the Red Sox leading 9-5, Alex Cora summoned Hicks to pitch the top of the eighth. He was sharp in his first Major League game since June 1, retiring all three batters he faced on just 10 pitches (seven strikes).
The hard-throwing right-hander also flashed impressive velocity, reaching 100 mph on two of his pitches and recording a strikeout.
It was an encouraging outing from Hicks, who didn’t look rusty after being sidelined for nearly a month. If he stays healthy, he has the potential to be a valuable piece in Boston’s bullpen during the second half.
The Giants tried to convert Hicks into a starting pitcher over the last two seasons, but his stuff plays better out of the bullpen. He has a 4.91 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP in 170 1/3 innings as a starter compared to a 3.72 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 232 1/3 innings as a reliever.
The 28-year-old is in the second year of a four-year, $44 million contract, so he’s under team control through 2027. He has some closing experience as well with 33 career saves, so he could be a candidate to replace Aroldis Chapman as the team’s closer if Chapman (a pending free agent) doesn’t return next season.