Aaron Hicks is staying in the AL East.
The Orioles announced on Tuesday that they’ve signed the outfielder to a major league contract, four days after he was officially released by the Yankees.
Hicks, 33, was designated for assignment on May 20, as the Yankees were unable to find a trade partner for the outfielder, who is owed nearly $30 million through 2025.
He is on the hunt for a more prominent role and Hicks may earn one with Baltimore, where All-Star center fielder Cedric Mullins is out with a right abductor/groin strain suffered during the eighth inning against the Guardians on Monday, which ended in a 5-0 Orioles loss.
Mullins, who has an .835 OPS with eight home runs and 39 RBIs in 53 games, has been placed on the 10-day injured list.
Former Yankee Aaron Hicks has agreed to a major league contract with the Orioles.Robert Sabo for NY PostAfter a few lackluster seasons in The Bronx, which included a .188 average and .524 OPS in 28 games this season, the Yankees threw in the towel on Hicks after seven-plus years.
Hicks arrived in New York in a trade with the Twins in 2016 and proved to be a reliable hitter and center fielder early on.
As a result, he was given a seven-year deal before the 2019 offseason, but over the past four seasons Hicks has slashed .212/.331/.334.
Aaron Hicks will replace Cedric Mullins, who is on the injured list with a groin strain. AP“I hope what doesn’t get lost is a couple of really good seasons that he had here,” manager Aaron Boone said on Friday when Hicks was released. “Had some good postseason moments here. And then some injuries really impacted his time here, probably impacted his career and his ability to get back to that level.”
During his time in pinstripes, he posted a .232/.337/.398 slash line coupled with 81 home runs, and 278 RBIs.
The Orioles entered Tuesday with the third-best record in baseball at 34-20, four games back of the AL East-leading and MLB-best Rays.
