Former New York Yankees struggling outfielder Aaron Hicks has already found himself another job, signing a Major League contract with the Baltimore Orioles after they placed star OF Cedric Mullins on the 10-day injured list.
Having recently been jettisoned off the Yankees, with the team taking on the remaining $30 million on his salary, Hicks isn’t ready to give up on the game of baseball just yet, despite the 33-year-old struggling to produce adequate numbers over the past few seasons.
- Yankees need more from newly acquired bullpen arm
- Yankees are getting incredible value from veteran catcher
- Yankees’ closer has quietly been a huge part of the team’s hot start
The Yankees had to move on from Aaron Hicks:
Throughout the 28 games in which Hicks participated this year while wearing the Yankees’ pinstripes, he had a .188 batting average and a .263 on-base percentage. He recorded a single homerun, five runs batted in, and had a 26.3% strikeout rate. His weighted runs created plus (wRC+) of 49 was the lowest point in his career. Although his defensive skills have maintained a degree of value, they have seen a significant decline.
It is not uncommon for former Yankees players to experience a career resurgence when they join a team with less pressure.
For instance, consider Joey Gallo, who, after moving to the Minnesota Twins, has already achieved 11 home runs this season, has a .338 on-base percentage, and a 136 wRC+, the second highest in his career.
There are some players who simply cannot thrive under the spotlight in New York. Thus, it wouldn’t be surprising to witness Hicks succeed in his new environment, notwithstanding that he is moving into the latter part of his prime.