(Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
Baseball and fate work in mysterious ways sometimes.
Take, for example, Aaron Hicks.
The former New York Yankees outfielder was so bad from 2021 to 2023 that they felt the need to release him (and pay him the remainder of his $70 million contract) just to have a better use for his roster spot.
It’s hard to blame them, though.
Hicks had a .627 OPS in 2021 and a .642 mark last year.
When he opened 2023 with a .524 OPS, the Yankees said it was enough.
Just a few hours after the Yanks released Hicks, the Baltimore Orioles came calling.
They offered a major league contract and a direct path to playing time due to Cedric Mullins’ injury.
Playing time was precisely what he felt the Yanks refused to give him.
In Baltimore, Hicks is showing the form that made him such a useful player from 2017 to 2020.
He is slashing .345/.472/.586 with a homer, a stolen base, eight runs, and a 1.058 OPS in 10 games in Baltimore.
Aaron Hicks’ 2023:
With Yankees: 69 AB, 13 hits, 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 20 k’s, .188 avg, .524 OPS
With Orioles: 29 AB, 10 hits, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 k’s, .345 avg, 1.058 OPS
Hicks has been on FIRE since arriving in Baltimore! Awesome to see him doing well. #BirdLand #RepBX pic.twitter.com/9zN8imt1zM
— StatsBrad (@StatsBrad) June 11, 2023
He seems to have gotten back the joy of playing the game and feels valued.
Again, it’s hard to blame the Yankees because they were very patient with him.
These things just happen from time to time.
However, it’s impossible not to think about the irony of the situation: the Yankees are still paying Hicks millions of dollars to perform against them for a direct division rival that is paying the player near the MLB minimum.
Additionally, the Yankees have a huge need in the outfield at the moment due to the injuries of Aaron Judge and Harrison Bader.
It’s funny how things work sometimes.
The post Yankees Castoff Keeps Finding Success With The Orioles appeared first on The Cold Wire.