Hicks (0-3) took the loss and a blown save Friday versus the Tigers, allowing three runs on a hit and two walks with one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. He also hit a batter.
Hicks had shown improvements over recent weeks, allowing just one unearned run -- which led to a loss -- in his last 6.2 innings. That was all gone in a messy seventh inning Friday, which saw him throw just 14 of 26 pitches for strikes. His control issues have cropped up again with five walks over his last three appearances. Hicks is at a 7.62 ERA, 2.38 WHIP and 22:14 K:BB through 13 innings this season.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Handed second loss
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Hicks (0-2) allowed an unearned run on two hits and struck out four without walking a batter over 1.2 innings, and he took the loss Wednesday versus the Giants.
A two-out fielding error by Lars Nootbaar and a subsequent wild pitch from Hicks allowed the Giants' Mitch Haniger to score the go-ahead run. Hicks has been used in low-leverage situations for a little over a week, but he entered a tie game on a three-inning scoreless streak and couldn't keep the score even. The hard-throwing righty trimmed his ERA to a bloated 6.97, and he has an awful 2.32 WHIP and a 17:9 K:BB through 10.1 innings. He's issued just one walk over his last five outings, but he's also uncorked two wild pitches in that span and still has some work to do to get his control in line.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Will work in low-leverage outings
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Cardinals manager Oli Marmol told reporters before Sunday's game against the Pirates that Hicks will work in low-leverage situations going forward, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
"We need to figure out a way for [Hicks] to be more effective & usable," Marmol said. "We've got to have a good enough plan to do that, where he's comfortable with it & we feel good about it." Hicks struggled again in a loss to the Pirates on Sunday while allowing three runs -- two earned -- and getting just one out in the process. The hard-throwing reliever now has a 12.71 ERA, 3.35 WHIP and 6:8 K:BB across 5.2 innings. The Cardinals are unable to send Hicks down to Triple-A because of his service time, so he'll have to work through his struggles while a member of the big-league club.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Takes extra-inning loss
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Hicks (0-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and struck out one in one-third of an inning, taking the loss Saturday versus the Pirates.
Hicks has often put himself behind the eight-ball in his appearances this season, as he's had trouble retiring the first batter he faces. That was the case Saturday, as Andrew McCutchen took him deep for a two-run home run to begin the 10th inning. Hicks has an awful 12.71 ERA, 3.35 WHIP and 6:8 K:BB aver 5.2 innings. His velocity is as strong as ever, but he hasn't found any way to harness it with control, so Hicks remains an unappealing fantasy option.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Mixed results so far
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Hicks has allowed four earned runs on six hits and five walks while striking out six over 5.2 innings over six Grapefruit League appearances.
Hicks' strikeout potential remains enticing, but the overall results are not where they need to be to feel confident about his ability to fill a high-leverage role. With experience as a starter, there's always the option to stretch Hicks out for long-relief duties, but the right-hander has also had success in the past as a reliever. He's little more than a late-draft dart throw in fantasy given his skill set.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Appears set for relief role
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Hicks is expected to earn high-leverage spots as a reliever to begin 2023, Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Hicks was used as both a starter and a reliever last season, but he was more effective out of the bullpen. The hard-throwing righty has added some weight to get back to where his body is most comfortable, and that should in turn help his durability after he missed time with shoulder, forearm and neck issues in 2022. Manager Oliver Marmol tends to avoid strict roles in the bullpen, so Hicks should join Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos as the Cardinals' top late-inning options.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Makes return from IL
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The Cardinals activated Hicks (neck) from the 15-day injured list Wednesday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Hicks is expected to make an one-inning appearance in relief behind starter Matthew Liberatore in Wednesday's regular-season finale in Pittsburgh, and assuming he checks out fine following the outing, the 26-year-old right-hander will likely have a spot on the Cardinals' roster for the wild-card round of the playoffs. Across 60.1 innings with St. Louis in 2022, Hicks has generated a 4.92 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 63:35 K:BB while collecting eight holds.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Bullpen session on tap
Rotowire
Hicks (neck/arm) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The right-hander played catch from 150 feet Tuesday and Wednesday, clearing the way for him to advance to mound work. Assuming all goes well Friday, Hicks is then expected to throw another bullpen session Sunday in hopes of returning from the injured list next week.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Feeling better, still resting
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Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Hicks (neck) was feeling better Wednesday but remains on a "no-throw, rest program," John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Hicks also reported feeling a "strange sensation" in his arm to go along with his fatigue; however, an MRI revealed no structural damage. There remains no word on how soon Hicks will be able to return to St. Louis' bullpen.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Placed on injured list
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Hicks landed on the injured list Saturday due to fatigue and neck spasms, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Hicks has allowed three runs in 3.2 innings across his last three appearances, but it's unclear if those struggles are injury-related. He hasn't been good throughout the second half, pitching to a 6.46 ERA in 23.2 frames since the break, something which could perhaps be explained by fatigue. Steven Matz (knee) was activated off the injured list to take his place in the bullpen.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Takes sixth loss
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Hicks (3-6) allowed two runs on two walks and struck out one in 1.1 innings, taking the loss Thursday against the Rockies.
Hicks got through the sixth inning without trouble, but he walked two batters with one out in the seventh. Genesis Cabrera couldn't stop the Rockies' momentum in what became a six-run frame, with Hicks getting charged with the loss. The flame-throwing right-hander has seen more high-leverage work lately, picking up four holds in his last nine appearances. He owns a 4.89 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 44:31 K:BB through 46 innings across 23 outings (eight starts) this year, though he remains in more of a versatile relief role at this part of the season.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Snags win Thursday
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Hicks (3-5) earned the win in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader versus the Cubs. He allowed a run on a hit and two walks in one inning.
The Cubs tied the game at 2-2 against Hicks in the seventh inning, but Tyler O'Neill's three-run home run in the bottom of the frame put the Cardinals ahead again. In his last 5.1 innings, Hicks has surrendered seven runs on five hits, four walks and two hit batters. He had some promising results in early July after moving back to the bullpen, but his recent form is likely to keep him in a middle-relief role. For the season, the right-hander owns a 4.93 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 38:28 K:BB across 42 innings through 20 appearances (eight starts).
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Handed loss Tuesday
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Hicks (2-5) allowed four runs on three hits and two walks in 1.2 innings Tuesday versus the Blue Jays, taking the loss.
Hicks entered the game to begin the fifth inning, but he ran into trouble in the sixth. He left the bases loaded for Junior Fernandez to face George Springer, with the Blue Jays' slugger smacking a grand slam. With five runs allowed in 2.1 innings since the All-Star break, Hicks has effectively lost the momentum he gained from an eight-inning scoreless streak prior to the break. The flame-throwing righty has a 4.85 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 35:26 K:BB across 39 innings in 17 appearances (eight starts). Until he can settle down again, Hicks is likely to see a multi-inning relief role.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Wild in first turn as opener
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Hicks allowed a hit and three walks with one strikeout in 1.2 innings as the opener in Tuesday's 7-6 win over the Dodgers. He did not factor in the decision.
Hicks has seen time as a starter and a middle reliever so far, but Tuesday was his first turn as an opener. While he kept runs off the board, he threw only 18 of 38 pitches for strikes in an erratic outing. Hicks has pitched 6.2 scoreless innings since returning from a forearm strain in early July. He has a 4.08 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 34:24 K:BB across 35.1 innings in 14 outings (eight starts) overall, though his usage is likely to remain flexible.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Gets look in opener role
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Hicks will serve as the Cardinals' opening pitcher in Tuesday's game against the Dodgers, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Hicks has previously made seven starts with St. Louis this season, but he's made each of his four appearances since coming off the injured list July 2 in relief. Manager Oliver Marmol recently hinted at the possibility of using Hicks as an opener, and the skipper determined that a matchup with a fearsome top half of the Dodgers' lineup was a good spot to use the right-hander. Hicks will likely work one or two innings before giving way to bulk reliever Matthew Liberatore, who mostly struggled while working as a traditional starter over his first six big-league outings.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Solid in return
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Hicks (forearm) allowed two hits in 1.2 scoreless innings Saturday versus the Phillies. He did not strike out or walk a batter.
Hicks missed over a month with the forearm strain, and he returned in a multi-inning role. The hard-throwing right-hander appears set to remain in the bullpen for the rest of the season after beginning the year as a starter. He has a 4.75 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 29:20 K:BB across 10 appearances (seven starts). Hicks will have some time to acclimate himself to long relief again, but success in that role could he see him eventually joining the Cardinals' high-leverage mix since he has previous closing experience.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Reinstated from 15-day IL
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Hicks (forearm) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list Saturday.
Hicks has been sidelined since late May due to a right forearm injury, but he spent the last week and a half at Triple-A Memphis on a rehab assignment. The 25-year-old posted a 12.60 ERA and 2.20 WHIP in five innings over four appearances (one start) in the minors and should serve as a multi-inning reliever for the Cardinals now that he's back to full health.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Trending toward weekend return
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Hicks (forearm) is scheduled to make one-inning rehab appearances Tuesday and Wednesday with Triple-A Memphis, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Pitching on back-to-back days likely represents the final checkpoint Hicks will need to hit in his recovery from a right forearm strain before the Cardinals bring him back from the 15-day injured list during this weekend's series in Philadelphia. Hicks had started or served as a bulk reliever in each of his first nine appearances of the season with the big club prior to landing on the shelf May 26, but he's slated to work as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen once he's activated.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Rehab starting Tuesday
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Hicks (forearm) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Hicks has been out for nearly a month with a flexor injury. The length of his absence means he'll probably need more than one rehab outing, though the Cardinals have yet to specify exactly when he's expected to return. The righty is reportedly expected to pitch in a relief role upon his return to the majors.
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Cardinals' Jordan Hicks: Rehab assignment imminent
Rotowire
Hicks (forearm) felt great after a 30-pitch bullpen session Wednesday and will likely begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis later this week, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Hicks has been on the shelf since May 26, but he's completed two bullpen sessions since Sunday. Denton adds that Hicks is likely to serve as a reliever during his rehab assignment, which would line him up to return to the big-league bullpen once he's activated from the injured list. If that's what happens, expect rookie Andre Pallante to maintain his place in the rotation until Steven Matz (shoulder) is able to return. Hicks logged a 5.02 ERA and 29:20 K:BB across 28.2 innings in nine appearances (seven starts) before he landed on the injured list, but he's previously served as a high-leverage reliever in the majors in past seasons.
