Orioles Sign Aaron Hicks
The Orioles are surging but were stricken with bad news. Cedric Mullins was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain (the team announced Tuesday). How in the world were the Orioles going to replace him? It turns out Aaron Hicks became available at the perfect time. The former AL East foe will be signing with Baltimore after being released by the Yankees.
Did the Yankees just help the surging Orioles? Time will tell if Hicks actually helps but the timing on this is certainly fortunate for Baltimore. Nobody can blame the Yankees for originally DFA’ing the veteran outfielder. Hicks, 33, posted a .188/.263/.261 slash line with one homer over 28 games in 2023 with New York. Worse yet, the Yankees owe Hicks roughly $27.6 million through 2025.
The problem is the Yankees just lost Harrison Bader via injury and Giancarlo Stanton was already on the shelf. It’s been a lot of Greg Allen, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Jake Bauers. Not exactly a group that inspires confidence. Hicks wasn’t performing but losing Bader really stings given the lack of depth they had behind Hicks. New York is going to have to make a move at the deadline for another outfield bat at some point.
Anthony Santander, Austin Hays, Ryan McKenna, and Terrin Vavra will man the fort until Mullins returns. Hicks is still a respectable defender even at an advanced age. It’s a matter of it the change of scenery will spark the bat again. As a switch-hitter, he adds versatility to the lineup if there is a matchup the O’s like that day.
