Does Yankees' Aaron Boone regret dumping Orioles' Aaron Hicks?

It sounds like New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone believes current Baltimore Orioles outfielder Aaron Hicks could've helped the Bronx Bombers this summer. 

"You do wonder what you could have done differently," Boone said about Hicks, according to Dan Martin of the New York Post. "You always think that when something doesn’t work out. We bet on the talent, so we know he’s a talented guy." 

Hicks routinely heard boos from angry Yankees fans last season and throughout this spring until the club mercifully parted ways with him in May even though he signed a seven-year, $70M contract extension prior to the 2019 campaign. The 33-year-old was slashing .188/.263/.261/.524 with one home run and five RBIs across 28 games this season when he was officially released but has since found new life with Baltimore. 

In his first 18 contests with the Orioles, Hicks slashed .321/.424/.571/.996 with three homers and 10 RBI. 

"It’s to his credit that he’s done this," Boone said about Hicks' improvement at the plate. "He could have taken his ball and gone home. Instead, he got after it, went back into the fire in this division and figured out a way to contribute for a team that’s playing well. I’m glad he’s doing well." 

A change of scenery helped Hicks in multiple ways. Baltimore began Thursday trailing the first-place Tampa Bay Rays by five games in the American League East standings, while the Yankees were nine-and-a-half games back of the Rays at that time. 

Hicks and the Orioles start a four-game series at the Yankees on July 3. 

"He wasn’t performing and then he had to move on and sometimes that happens," Yankees hitting coach Dillon Lawson added about Hicks. "Now he’s somewhere else and sometimes that helps. He had a hard time here, obviously, the last little while, and being in a different environment can always help." 

It will be interesting to see how Hicks reacts to what will likely be a not-so-friendly welcome from the Bronx faithful early next month.