When the Boston Red Sox first acquired Jordan Hicks, there was already a healthy amount of skepticism that the move would work out. Hicks' transition to being a starter was already on pretty thin ice and most considered including Hicks in the Rafael Devers deal as a way to make the money a bit more even. There was some hope that the flamethrowing righty could regain his form in Boston, but his tenure has been anything but positive thus far.
After getting torched by the Guardians on Wednesday, Hicks is not the "proud" owner of an 8.20 ERA in his 21 appearances with the Red Sox and it has become abundantly clear that Boston could not keep running him out there if they care about playoff seeding at all.
With a number of potential remedies available, it does seem like the Red Sox took the easiest route after they decided to place Hicks on the injured list with what is currently being called a shoulder injury for now.
Red Sox are placing Jordan Hicks on the IL with a shoulder injury and calling up Chris Murphy before tomorrow's game in Arizona, sources say. Hicks' ERA ballooned to 8.20 with last night's struggles.https://t.co/jVvJjAnsFl
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) September 4, 2025
Timing of Jordan Hick's IL stint with Red Sox is certainly pretty curious
One can look at this in one of two ways. There is a real chance that Hicks' struggles are the direct result of shoulder troubles and things simply came to a head in his last appearances. As a power pitcher, shoulder injuries are a big deal and also more prevalent given the laws of physics involved.
For those more inclined to believe conspiracy theories, putting Hicks on the IL after he has stunk for months while in the middle of a playoff chase seems awfully convenient in terms of timing and could be a ploy to get him off the roster.
Both are possible, but the circumstances do lend themselves to a certain amount of wondering if Hicks' "injury" is much more than normal wear and tear. Not only has Hicks been terrible including a disastrous outing the day before, but Boston can't really take the route they may prefer to in designating him for assignment. With two years and $25 million left on his contract, Boston isn't going to eat that much money without more of a fight.
As a result, this course of action may be the best short-term option. Putting Hicks on the IL allows him to regroup and for Boston to see if they can fix him for next season while not having to suffer through his appearances during what could be a real postseason opportunity. It isn't a perfect plan, but such is life with imperfect players.