The Cardinals are going into the deadline looking to make moves that help the 2024 club. That’s likely to involve trading impending free agents like Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery. Though Jordan Hicks is also an impending free agent, it was reported earlier this week that he and the club were discussing an extension, perhaps keeping him in St. Louis. However, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports today that those talks have not progressed and he is garnering trade interest.
Hicks, 26, has long been one of the hardest throwers in the league, averaging north of 100 mph on his fastball since he debuted back in 2018. Oddly, he wasn’t about to translate that velocity into elite strikeout stuff. He came into this season having punched out 23% of batters faced, a mark that’s roughly around typical league averages. He did get grounders at an excellent 61.1% clip but also issued walks to 13.4% of batters. His 4.05 ERA prior to this season was fine but not especially exciting.
This year, he finally seems to have had a breakout. He’s thrown 41 2/3 innings for the season, striking out 31.2% of opponents in the process. His 12.7% walk rate is still on the high side, but he’s also still getting grounders on 58.3% of balls in play. That combination is difficult to come by, as among pitchers with at least a 30% strikeout rate in at least 40 innings this year, only Jhoan Durán of the Twins has a higher ground ball rate. Hicks has a 3.67 ERA for the year but may have deserved better, since his .366 batting average on balls in play is above his career rate and the league average, leading to a 3.02 FIP and 3.40 SIERA. Those results have come with Hicks taking over the closing role while Ryan Helsley is on the injured list, racking up eight saves in the past six weeks.
Since Hicks debuted when he was 21, cracking the Opening Day roster in 2018, he’s now just a few months from qualifying for free agency. He’s in his final year of arbitration, making a salary of $1.838M. The Cardinals are 46-57 and have been outside contention for quite a while now. Since they seem to be more focused on the future than the present, it makes sense to move on from Hicks and exchange him for more controllable players, especially now that extension talks haven’t found much traction.
Just about every contending club can use bullpen upgrades at this time of year, so Hicks should get plenty of interest. His previous track record isn’t as dominant as this season and he’s had some health concerns, including a Tommy John surgery in 2019, but acquiring clubs wouldn’t be making long-term commitments to him. They would simply be hoping to catch lightning in a bottle for a few months to help with a postseason push. The trade deadline is August 1.
Then, trade him (to Texas)
At this point, I believe Hicks will be traded. The Phillies or Rangers could acquire him to improve their bullpen. However, I would prefer that he signs the extension with the Cards.
I’d be good with that. Since it seems pretty clear I won’t be cheering for current Cardinals in the playoff this year, might as well cheer for former ones. You guys trade for Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly as reported and I’ll buy a Rangers jersey!
Trade him. He’s still maddening to watch. Should be better than he is.
Besides control issues at the beginning of the season, he’s having a career year. This is with baseball savant pinning him as having poor luck this season. If he’s to get any better than he is right now, it’d be on par with elite guys like prime Chapman. Not as easy of a situation to navigate as some might expect on the surface.
Totally fine with them not extending him. And yes I know he could be special if he puts it all together, but I’m glad Cards won’t pay to find out.
Him and Jack both. Too bad neither one did figure it out in the Lou.
Go get Hicks, Texas Rangers!!!
But we were told they had progressed. Liar liar pants on fire
It was probably just a ploy. It makes no sense for STL to extend him.
Why is Jordan Hicks a story?
One of the hardest-throwing elite relievers who is supposedly available at the deadline (and is still young) will always garner attention.
Oh…hard-throwing…..
LOL
Getting batters out and saving games as a relief pitcher doesn’t count.
Ever hear the phrase: “The Guy’s A Stiff”?
How frustrating is it for you to watch a game you think you know so much about, be taken over completely by brilliant and much smarter than you’ll ever be Ivy League nerds? And those nerds are going against everything you’ve ever known? Answer in 140 characters or less or nobody will read your novel.
Are you replying to me? I’m referring to baseball savant’s metrics so… yeah; I am one of the “nerds” and glad to admit that. Baseball is predictive; the harder you throw, the more likely you miss bats, and the more likely you get outs (“saving games” be damned). That doesn’t mean results always follow. His xBA and xERA are identical to Jordan Romano, a guy who will end up with 40 saves this season.
Too many characters?
Returntogame no I’m replying to Samuel, this sites reply system is beyond terrible.
Hicks feels like this eras Kyle Farnsworth. Tantalizing stuff. But never seems to become the guy we thought he’d be.
Bullpen arms are a dime a dozen. Trade him – especially if he is garnering serious interest from contenders. Get the maximum possible return package for him. Card fans and media are always complaining about how Mo and DeWitt never capitalize when a player is at his maximum worth. This is certainly one of those cases. Trade him.
If the Cardinals had a dozen bullpen arms they wouldn’t be sellers this year.
Hoping the Braves snag Hicks and Flaherty. Our shopping would be mostly done.
Give us a young starter arm in return and we’d be happy with that.
I would offer one of Shuster, Dodd, Wright or maybe even Soroka plus a lottery ticket. What other needs does St. Louis have?
Umm…No, No, No, and No? Why would the Cardinals want the Braves trash? Two AAA guys (Shuster and Dodd) with below average stuff and two guys who’ve washed out of the bigs? Really?
You aware that Wright is coming back from injury and was quite effective when healthy. Soroka is returning from 2 Achilles tears over 2 years, and will be cheap in his final Arb yr next yr. Dodd and Shuster offer full 6 yrs of control. SSS in the majors for each this yr, if the Cards are punting this season then let the kids take their lumps and gain experience. Kepp in mind your two guys are purely two month rentals and not worth an insane package.
Cards don’t know how to catch him. He’s hard to square up when right. They try pinpointing the corners. His accuracy isn’t that good. They need to treat his fastball like a knuckleball. Put the target down the middle and let the pitch tail where it goes.
Trade while his stock is at an all-time high. Get some prospects and focus on 2024.
“Cardinal way”
I’m all for getting some sort of return for him. Unfortunately, I will feel some sort of bad about watching him meltdown, unable to throw a strike for a team in contention when the pressure is really on. Career year because there are no consequences to his appearance.
Aside from 2018, he is giving up more hard hit balls than any other season, and at a higher line drive rate. Is it a matter of being unlucky? I don’t really think so.
I really wished people would stop using BABIP as a excuse for why someone isn’t hitting or pitching effectively. We used to call guys like this “pie throwers”. Hitters see the pitch a long time and at the ML level, velo isn’t that big a deal if you can’t locate. A pitcher might have a high BABIP if he throws meatballs down the middle therefore giving up contact with high exit velocities. He may also play on a team with defenders that can play defense inside a shoe box and never touch the sides. Hitter’s with poor exit velocity’s and bad swing planes usually generate a low BABIP. When I played we used to say, “there is no such thing as a hard .220”. These days .220 is a freaking benchmark. Keep swinging up and over maxing every pitch fellas.
Mike Maddox and his Vulcan Grip should be very familiar with Hicks. Defer to Maddox as to whether or not the Rangers pursue!
Good don’t want Cardings to keep him
Worst manager in baseball. Nothing but front office puppet.