Yankees fans praying Harrison Bader's return to finally push reviled outfielder out of team: "I think you meant DFA Aaron Hicks?"

Last autumn, the New York Yankees traded to acquire Harrison Bader from the St. Louis Cardinals. With the acquisition of the already-speedy center fielder, the team's outfield looked to be one of the best.

Bader, who grew up in nearby Bronxville, New York, quickly gained favorited status among the fanbase. His popularity only grew after he hit 3 home runs and 4 RBIs for the Yankees in their ALDS win over the Cleveland Guardians.

Over the offseason, Bader remained the odds-on favorite to be his team's starting center fielder in 2023. However, an oblique strain suffered in Spring Training sidelined Bader as his team took to the field for the new season.

On May 2, the New York Yankees announced that they would be activating Harrison Bader and sending outfield utility player Franchy Cordero to Triple-A in his place.

"The Yankees have activated Harrison Bader from the IL and optioned Franchy Cordero to AAA" - Talkin Yanks

Fans are resoundingly content to hear the news that Bader will be back in the lineup as the team continues their series against the Cleveland Guardians. The 28-year old's off-field personality is a major driver of the love that he receives from the fanbase.

Franchy Cordero started off the season with 4 home runs, tying his teammate Aaron Judge, but the lifelong journeyman soon began to struggle. However, the Dominican has gone 0-for-16 over the past week, making his relegation somewhat inevitable.

However, the biggest takeaway from fans is that they want Bader to replace Aaron Hicks. Hicks, 33, has been with the Yankees since coming over from the Minnesota Twins in 2016. Hicks, who signed a big seven-year deal worth $70 million in 2019, is hitting .156 with 5 strikeouts in his last 21 at-bats.

Harrison Bader brings a level of stability to a team stricken with injuries

For Yankees manager Aaron Boone, a slew of early-season injuries caused a headache that the team has not been able to recover from. It may have been unimaginable to fans just a few short months ago, but the Yankees are now last-placed in the AL East.

At least with Bader's return, the team will be able to more closely emulate the original lineup plan. While it may be true that Harrison Bader may not be able to singlehandedly fix all the problems that his team is facing, he will certainly have his chance to try