New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox | Maddie Meyer/GettyImages

The New York Yankees have a surprising amount of wiggle room in their 2025 budget before they pass the looming top luxury tax tier. If Juan Soto is amenable to their overtures, it’s certainly possible for Hal Steinbrenner to lock him down, make a few additional improvements, and still have some space to operate at the trade deadline. Just about $86 million off the books is nothing to sneeze at (though they hope Soto accounts for about $50ish million of that chunk).

Unfortunately, some of the current payroll is occupied by embarrassing expenditures. Anthony Rizzo just made a $6 million windfall, taking a buyout instead of a 2025 contract option. DJ LeMahieu is owed $15 million for both 2025 and 2026; the Yankees should probably cut their losses there, but even if they do, the money still lingers.

A helpful reminder of that ugly reality? Aaron Hicks, who was DFA’d in May of 2023, keeping the Yankees on the hook for the remainder of his salary as he overperformed in Baltimore.

.275 average! .806 OPS! Seven bombs and a 127 OPS+ after posting a 45 mark with lackadaisical defense in New York! Oof! Why?!

Of course, that Hicks extension still hasn’t expired, meaning he’s on the books for $9.26 million next season as well. Not to say that’ll be the difference in any Soto conversations; after all, Hicks won’t still be lingering in Year 12 of the Generational One’s next contract. Still, in the name of monetary efficiency, it really stings to see this blockage, which might very well result in a player like Trent Grisham or Jose Trevino being non-tendered to save any cash they still can.

Yankees paying $9.26 million for Aaron Hicks is their worst 2025 expenditure

It would be painful if the Yankees were paying Hicks a sizable payroll chunk (more than Grisham will be making!) to play for someone else. It’s somehow more painful that they’re currently paying him not to play; he isn’t on an MLB roster, and likely won’t be. His last MLB plate appearance came on April 28, 2024 for the Angels, a season in which he finished with a 20 OPS+.

So, this begs the question: which team will Hicks make his glorious return with, and why will that team defeat the Yankees in the ALCS next fall?