JORDAN HICKS NEWS

Managing forearm tightness Hicks was removed from Saturday's game versus the Pirates as a precaution due to right forearm tightness, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact The 24-year-old is coming off Tommy John surgery in June of 2019, so it's not much of a surprise to see the Cardinals quickly pulling the young pitcher. Hicks' removal was labeled a precaution, though that doesn't necessarily mean he won't be forced to miss any time. The right-hander should be considered day-to-day until the team updates his status.

MAY 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Exits with apparent arm issue Hicks was removed from Saturday's game against the Pirates with an apparent right arm injury, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Impact The 24-year-old recorded two outs during the seventh inning before being seen flexing his arm after a pitch and subsequently leaving with the athletic trainer. The specifics of the injury remain unclear, and the Cardinals are likely to remain cautious with Hicks since he's only a handful of games into his return from Tommy John surgery in June 2019.

MAY 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Secures third hold Hicks recorded his third hold in an extra-inning win over the Phillies on Thursday, firing a scoreless sixth inning during which he issued a walk and recorded two strikeouts.

Impact Manager Mike Shildt decided to afford Hicks his first action since Sunday by inserting him into the game immediately after the Cardinals had taken a 3-1 lead in the home half of the fifth inning. Hicks experienced trademark issues with his location while getting just nine of 19 pitches into the strike zone, but he still came away with his third hold. At present, an ascension to the closer's role he filled in 2019 before getting injured doesn't look to be anywhere in the cards for Hicks, as he still appears to be rounding back into shape after sitting out 2020 and Alex Reyes is currently perfect over six save chances while holding down ninth-inning duties.

APRIL 30, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Wild, ineffective in ninth Hicks made his first ninth-inning appearance of the season in Friday's win over the Reds, allowing three earned runs on one hit and two walks over one-third of an inning.

Impact The hard-throwing right-hander got only six of 16 pitches into the strike zone and laid the foundation for a save chance for Alex Reyes with his performance. The opportunity to work the ninth inning -- albeit in what was a non-save scenario going in -- was presumably manager Mike Shildt's way of inching Hicks toward eventually returning to a full-time closer's role, but in that regard, the attempt was far from successful. Hicks has notably had some issues with control in recent appearances, now having issued multiple walks in three of his last four trips to the mound.

APRIL 24, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Molina HR, double before exit with sore foot, Cards top Reds

Yadier Molina homered and doubled before leaving because of a sore foot, and the St. Louis Cardinals sent the Cincinnati Reds to their fifth straight loss, 5-4

APRIL 24, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

St. Louis Cardinals: Jordan Hicks ramping up for return to closer role In what has amounted to a disappointing start for the St. Louis Cardinals, there have been some positives. Nolan Arenado is starting to get...

APRIL 19, 2021 • REDBIRDRANTS.COM

Hicks' next act: 'How can I be an inspiration?' Anyone privy to the slightest of interactions with Jordan Hicks will tell you how fierce a competitor he is, how much he’ll go to bat for hi...

APRIL 16, 2021 • MLB.COM

Ross sharp, Zimmerman homers as Nationals blank Cardinals

Joe Ross pitched six sharp innings and the Washington Nationals threw their first regular-season shutout at Busch Stadium, blanking the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0

APRIL 14, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Another low-leverage appearance Hicks opened the seventh inning of Sunday's loss to the Brewers and fired 1.1 scoreless innings during which he allowed no hits, issued two walks, uncorked a wild pitch, and recor...

Impact With Hicks having last logged an appearance Wednesday, manager Mike Shildt saw an opportunity to get his young reliever some low-leverage work with the Cardinals down 7-3 at the time. Hicks had some trouble with location as his numbers indicate, but he was otherwise able to turn in a second straight workload of more than 20 pitches without setbacks. The fireballer has yet to be scored on this season through four appearances, and he could soon graduate to higher-leverage assignments if matters continue to unfold smoothly for him.

APRIL 12, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Molina HR, Carlson slam lead Cards over Marlins 7-0 & sweep

Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer and Dylan Carlson added a grand slam, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over Miami 7-0 for a three-game sweep that dropped the Marlins to 1-5 for th...

APRIL 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Deployed in sixth inning Hicks was credited with his first hold in a win over the Marlins on Monday, logging a perfect sixth inning during which he recorded a strikeout.

Impact So far, so good for Hicks in his comeback campaign, as he's fired a pair of perfect frames over his first two appearances, neither which has come in a save situation. The hard-throwing Hicks also has only one strikeout through six batters faced, but the fact that he's notched six outs on just 26 pitches speaks to the fact that his location already seems to be back to form after he missed all of last season.

APRIL 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Molina's early double, Cardinals pitching stops Marlins 4-1

Yadier Molina hit a bases-loaded double during a three-run first inning, Daniel Ponce de Leon and the St. Louis bullpen protected the lead, and the Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins...

APRIL 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cardinals: Jordan Hicks impresses in his return after two-year absence Jordan Hicks returned for the St. Louis Cardinals, and promptly threw a clean 1-2-3 inning after being involved in kerfuffle. Jordan Hicks m...

APRIL 5, 2021 • REDBIRDRANTS.COM

Reds' Castellanos suspended 2 games in Hill's 1st discipline

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Nick Castellanos has been suspended for two games and fined for his role in an on-field brawl during the season’s opening weekend

APRIL 5, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Scoreless frame in '21 debut Hicks fired a perfect seventh inning in a loss to the Reds on Saturday. He did not record a strikeout.

Impact Hicks required just 13 pitches to get his three outs, an encouraging display of efficiency in his first taste of regular-season game action since June 2019. Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports no ball hit off Hicks was harder than 72 mph, and adds that the right-hander's four-seamer and sinker averaged 97.5 mph and 98.1 mph, respectively, during his one inning.

APRIL 4, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Expected to be eased into action Hicks will be eased into game action to begin the 2021 season, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

Impact Hicks opted out of the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and he hasn't pitched in a regular-season game since June of 2019 due to Tommy John surgery. While the right-hander is expected to take over as the Cardinals' primary closer at some point in 2021, manager Mike Shildt said that Alex Reyes should be the favorite to work in the eighth and ninth innings early in the year while Hicks is eased into action. Hicks converted on 14 of his 15 save chances while posting a 3.14 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 28.2 innings during the 2019 campaign.

APRIL 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Earns noteworthy save Hicks was credited with his first save since June 13, 2019 in a Grapefruit League win over the Mets on Wednesday, with his velocity topping out at 100.4 mph, Zachary Silver of MLB....

Impact Hicks worked around a leadoff walk to cruise through the next three batters in the ninth inning, lowering his spring ERA to 3.38 through four appearances. The hard-throwing right-hander has now worked an inning in back-to-back outings, but president of baseball operations John Mozeliak confirmed Wednesday the team wants "to be smart about it" with respect to how quickly Hicks is thrown back into high-leverage situations once the regular season begins.

MARCH 26, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Eventful second appearance Hicks allowed an unearned run on two walks and a hit batsman over two-thirds of an inning in a Grapefruit League tie with the Astros on Wednesday.

Impact Making his second appearance of spring after a 22-pitch battle of wills against the Mets' Luis Guillorme encompassed the first Sunday, Hicks once again put together a rather unusual performance. The flamethrowing right-hander worked himself into trouble with an error on a comebacker and some notable control issues, but manager Mike Shildt kept things in perspective when evaluating Hicks' second taste of game action in 21 months. "I think it's just getting back into competition in over a year," Shildt said. "I thought it was a fantastic outing. Ton of soft contact, around the plate again. I was really, really, really pleased with Jordan."

MARCH 19, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Notes: Hicks on mound, Waino defies age Jordan Hicks did not need 22 pitches to face just one batter in his second outing of spring. That’s the first takeaway from what became a 4-...

MARCH 18, 2021 • MLB.COM

Astros LHP Framber Valdez gets positive update on injury

The Houston Astros received a positive update on left-hander Framber Valdez on the same day Forrest Whitley had season-ending surgery on his right elbow

MARCH 18, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cardinals hope Nolan Arenado fills out playoff-caliber team

The St. Louis Cardinals have gotten in the habit the past couple years of plugging their biggest holes by trading for big-name bats that just happen to have had a whole lot of succ...

MARCH 17, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Unique Grapefruit League debut Hicks faced only the Mets' Lucas Guillorme in the right-hander's Grapefruit League debut Sunday, engaging in a 22-pitch sequence that culminated in a walk.

Impact Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports the at-bat took 12 minutes and included six pitches of over 100 mph. It was Hicks' first taste of official game action since June 22, 2019, and while the original plan had been to deploy him for one inning Sunday, he was removed from the contest following the walk due to his pitch count.

MARCH 16, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Jordan Hicks makes historic return for St. Louis Cardinals The New York Mets welcomed back the Cardinals' Jordan Hicks with a 22-pitch plate appearance. Yeah, you read that right. Jordan Hicks made h...

MARCH 15, 2021 • REDBIRDRANTS.COM

Guillorme Works 22-Pitch Walk, Longest in Recorded History The first batter Jordan Hicks faced in two years didn’t make it easy on him.

MARCH 15, 2021 • SI.COM

Amazin' at-bat: Mets' Guillorme draws 22-pitch walk vs Hicks

New York Mets backup Luis Guillorme had quite an at-bat in spring training Sunday

MARCH 14, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS