After Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins exited Monday’s loss to the Cleveland Guardians with a correct abductor groin strain, Baltimore acted shortly to find a substitute.
The Orioles launched Tuesday that they’ve signed former New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins outfielder Aaron Hicks and positioned Mullins on the 10-day injured guidelines. The Yankees launched Hicks, 33, remaining week amid the fifth season of a seven-year, $70 million contract. New York is liable for the remainder of that settlement; Baltimore pays Hicks solely a prorated portion of the foremost league minimal. He fills a spot on their 40-man roster, which is now full.
In his eleventh principal league season, Hicks was hitting .188/.263/.261 with one residence run when the Yankees elected to designate the switch-hitter for job, though he hit .353/.450/.647/1.097 in his remaining seven video video games with New York. By OPS+, Hicks has been a below-average principal league hitter the earlier three seasons after rating above frequent yearly from 2017 to 2020.
Mullins pulled up wanting first base whereas attempting to beat out a flooring ball to shortstop in Monday’s eighth inning. An All-Star in 2021, Mullins had missed only one sport this season sooner than the hurt and had appeared in all nonetheless 10 of Baltimore’s video video games over the earlier three years.
Defensively, Hicks remaining rated positively in center space by Statcast’s outs above frequent in 2017. He was worth minus-11 OAA in center over the earlier six seasons. A finalist for a Gold Glove remaining 12 months, Mullins has been above frequent throughout the metric every season of his career, with 22 OAA in center over the earlier three years.
The Orioles’ inside selections to interchange Mullins have been restricted by outfield prospects Colton Cowser and Kyle Stowers being on Triple-A Norfolk’s injured guidelines. Ryan McKenna, often a late-inning defensive substitute for Baltimore, moved from correct space to center when Mullins exited Monday’s sport; left fielder Austin Hays can be capable of participating within the place, though supervisor Brandon Hyde values how he performs Camden Yards’ spacious left space.
This story will most likely be updated.
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