Outfielder Aaron Hicks, 33, has joined the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB) and is a completely different player.
Hicks, who was released by the New York Yankees on the 26th of last month local time, joined Baltimore on the 30th of last month. From his first at-bat against the Cleveland Cavaliers on the 31st, a day after joining the team, Hicks has transformed into a run-scoring machine.스포츠토토
After going 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk in his first game, he reached base in every game of the two-game road series against the San Francisco Giants, going 1-for-6 with a home run and a walk.
In three games with Baltimore, he’s batting .429 with a .556 on-base percentage and a .985 OPS. Considering he was released by the Yankees this season after hitting .188 with a .263 on-base percentage and a .524 OPS in 28 games, that’s a world of difference.
Hicks has also been playing solid defence at his position, centre field. Today, down 3-0 with runners on first and second in the bottom of the third inning, he made a leaping catch of Mitch Hanniger’s homerun attempt in front of the fence to prevent further damage.
Hicks, who hit 27 home runs in 2018, signed a seven-year, $70 million contract with the Yankees ahead of 2019, but a string of injuries and poor performances made him a virtual bust.
Ultimately, the Yankees simply released Hicks, who is owed $10.5 million this year and $21 million next year through 2025. Rather than use a roster spot for Hicks, they decided it was better to just throw the money away.
But Hicks, who came to Baltimore with the lowest annual salary ($720,000), has been a different story. While Hicks may be temporary, he’s a “honey pot” for Baltimore, which is desperate for big-league-calibre middle infield depth after losing starter Cedric Mullins to injury for two or three weeks.
“I feel pretty comfortable with this team,” Aaron Hicks said, “I know I’m not going to replace Mullins, but as a veteran, I’m going to help the team win any way I can.”