Prior to tonight’s game with the A’s, the Orioles placed outfielder Aaron Hicks on the 10-day injured list due to a lower back strain, with a retroactive placement date of August 16. Ryan McKenna was called up from Triple-A to take Hicks’ spot on the active roster and as part of Baltimore’s outfield mix.
Injuries have plagued Hicks throughout his career, and his recent setbacks are at least less serious than some of his past season-shortening issues. However, Hicks missed about three weeks due to a hamstring strain before being activated last Monday, but he played in just one game before being sidelined again with his back problem.
As Hicks told MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and other reporters, “as soon as I start hitting it kind of starts to flare up a little bit….Walking around I feel fine, doing little things feel fine, rotation feels fine. And then as soon as I start to try to fire it up and get moving as fast as possible is when it starts wanting to shut down.”
The Orioles’ plan is to shut Hicks down for around two weeks, manager Brandon Hyde told Kubatko and company, then re-evaluate. With this cautious approach, Hicks will need some ramp-up time and perhaps more minor league rehab games before returning, so the veteran seems to be looking at a rough return timeline of the second week of September. Because the injury is “kind of hit or miss right now,” as Hicks put it, the timeline might conceivably be shorter if his back spasms quickly dissipate.
The two IL stints have put a damper on a nice comeback run for Hicks in an O’s uniform. After the Yankees designated and subsequently released Hicks in late May, he caught on with the Orioles for a minimum salary, as New York is still paying the rest of the roughly $22.6MM still owed on Hicks’ contract through the 2025 campaign. The change of scenery seemed to help, as Hicks is hitting .261/.355/.440 with six homers over 155 plate appearances for Baltimore, after managing only a .211/.322/.317 slash line in 579 PA with the Yankees in 2021-22.
Given Hicks’ previous IL trip, the Orioles have gotten used to adjusting with Hicks in the lineup. Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins, and Anthony Santander will remain the club’s primary outfield trio, though Santander is missing today’s game due to what Hyde described as “general soreness.” Ryan O’Hearn and McKenna will also provide outfield depth in a part-time capacity.
Still a Yankee at heart I see.
can someone please help explain his contract situation, I’m not clear. the Yankees have to pay him through 2025? so could he theoretically play for the O’s at league min next year as well?
I think Hicks will be a free agent after the season. Any team can sign him and pay him the league minimum next year, but the Yankees will still have to pay the difference of what he’s owed next year from his previous contract.
Yes. League min for 2025 as well.
BTW, I’m not advocating that as there are a number of prospects that could break ST next year but I was just wondering how Hicks’ contract worked.
Is that a picture of Hicks or Albert Pujols?
Heston time
Baltimore fans getting the full range of the Aaron Hicks experience.
No comparison. Pujols has accomplished more in 1 season than Hicks’ entire career put together
not the FULL range, there’s a $22MM tab they don’t have to pay, unlike the Yanks.
consider it a “pay it forward”
Grateful to get the good part of the FULL RANGE during Mullin’s first IL stint. Vavra and Stowers hurt along with Cowser struggles, Aaron came up huge.
glad he worked out for you guys, We were happy to send him on his way.
So, it was a win/win for everyone.
First year since like the Mel Hall days where everything is going wrong for NYY – including washed players teams eats $ for going to a rival and being a bit serviceable
Perfect example of a player ruined by the analytics people. He was a terrific two-way player when he was younger but he knew that he would never get a big contract if he didn’t hit for more power. So he started putting on a lot more muscle to hit home runs. The problem was that his body couldn’t carry that extra muscle and play baseball without breaking down.