NEW YORK -- As Aaron Hicks goes, the Yankees go.
It's easy to push the switch-hitting outfielder to the backburner of conversation around this team and focus on bigger names like Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and Aroldis Chapman.
But it's time to recognize just how much Hicks has transformed his career and this Yankees team in the span of one year. When the Yankees finished play on August 14, 2016, Hicks owned a .591 OPS. By any measure, he was one of the worst hitters in the sport.
One year later, a more confident hitter has changed his career and the Yankees fortunes.
After two hits--including a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning--in a 4-2 win over the Mets on Monday night, Hicks' current slash line is .284/.389/.518. That equals out to a .907 OPS--over 300 points higher than last season.
We're watching one of the best and most impactful outfielders in baseball play an under-the-radar role for a team that desperately needed his bat back after a recent 39-game absence.
So how did it happen? How did Hicks transform from a player that was really bad (76 OPS+) for the first four years of his career into one of the most productive offensive players (142 wRC+--higher than the marks of Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey and Anthony Rizzo) in the sport?
Confidence that stemmed from playing time.
"I think confidence has a lot to do with it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I think consistent playing time has a lot to do with it. He made some changes to his swing in the offseason, but you can see the confidence he has now."
Hicks' diving catch
Hicks concurred, while adding why he believes that confidence was able to emerge.
"I just think playing time," Hicks. "I think getting regular at-bats and being able to contribute for the team."
Hicks cited trying to "hit the ball in the air" as the change Girardi may have been talking about, but stressed simply seeing his name in the lineup and getting consistent at-bats has been the biggest key to the turnaround.
In spring training, right field looked to come down to a Hicks-Judge battle. Little did the Yankees or baseball realize that two stars in a battle for playing time would both become key figures on a contender.
Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.