Hicks was called upon to replace Brennan Bernardino with two outs in the top of the first on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, as the Red Sox deployed a planned bullpen game after taking the first two games of the series against the visiting Guardians. With Cleveland already leading 1-0 and a runner on first, Hicks delivered — striking out Jhonkensy Noel on just three pitches to end the inning.

But the second inning told a different story. The 28-year-old reliever gave up a leadoff double, followed by a two-run homer and two more hits before being pulled, ultimately getting charged with four earned runs in the Red Sox bullpen collapse.

Following the game, Alex Cora didn’t hold back in addressing the state of his bullpen and Hicks’ performance. The Boston Herald’s Mac Cerullo took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) account and shared Cora’s postgame message, which reflected both concern and confidence in the right-hander.

“We’ve got to figure him out. We need him. That’s the bottom line. Because we’ve got Whitlock as a setup man, we need righties in the bullpen to do their job. We trust the ability but we have to execute”

That vote of confidence underscores how valuable Hicks still is to this Red Sox team. Acquired in the blockbuster deal that sent Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants, the hard-throwing reliever was expected to bring stability to the middle innings. But through 21 appearances in 2025, Hicks holds an 8.20 ERA and a 1.98 WHIP, allowing 17 earned runs with just two saves. Despite his powerful arm, inconsistency has placed his role under the spotlight during a tense Red Sox playoff race.

With only 21 games remaining, every performance matters for the Red Sox. Cora’s continued support for Hicks reflects a belief that internal improvement is still possible, but consistent execution is no longer optional. Tied for the second Wild Card spot, Boston gets Thursday off before heading west to face the Arizona Diamondbacks in a weekend series that could carry major postseason implications.