The Angels have released Aaron Hicks, per the transaction log at MLB.com. That was the expected course of action once the Halos designated the veteran outfielder for assignment on Monday.
Assuming he clears release waivers, Hicks will become a free agent. That clearly wasn’t the way the Angels envisioned his tenure when they inked him to a major league deal over the winter. With the Yankees still responsible for Hicks’ salaries in the final two years of his contract, the Halos took a league minimum flier to add him to the big league bench. The switch-hitter had turned in a surprising .275/.381/.425 slash in 65 games with the Orioles after being released by New York last May.
The 34-year-old did not maintain that positive form in his month in Orange County. Hicks struck out in 23 of his 63 plate appearances as an Angel. He hit .140/.222/.193 overall, an even colder start than the .188/.263/.261 slash he’d had with the Yankees before his release last season. Despite Hicks’ productive stint in Baltimore, he has a below-average .224/.330/.330 batting line in 828 plate appearances going back to the start of 2022.
One day after designating Hicks for assignment, the Angels lost Mike Trout to a meniscus tear. They signed Kevin Pillar, himself recently DFA by the White Sox, to a major league deal. Pillar will back up the new starting trio of Taylor Ward, Mickey Moniak and Jo Adell in the Angel Stadium outfield.
As was the case for the Angels, any team willing to offer Hicks an MLB roster spot could do so at minimal cost. He’d be paid the prorated $740K league minimum for any time spent in the majors with New York on the hook for the bulk of the money.
Maybe Aaron should give the National League a try. The AL just ain’t working out for him anymore…
Well, how can you type that, when he was solid for the Orioles?
If by “National League” you mean KBO then yes 🙂
I can see Aaron Hicks with the Marlins or Nationals.
@TheU49
Add the Jays to that list. They’re running with Schneider, Barger, and Biggio as OF options. All 3 were IF’s in their MiLB careers.
If the Angels released Hicks, it means he cleared waivers.
OF COURSE he cleared waivers – if someone claimed him they’d be on the hook for his entire salary
There go one pice trash they sign
Has anyone’s hitting improved after moving to the Angels?
No. But it’s a place to grab big money and be mediocre or disappear. Vernon Wells and Anthony Rendon became lottery winners and stopped being ball players.
To Baltimore FO. If you don’t wanna bring up a Stowers as a 4th OF, consider bringing Aaron back to play that role. McKenna has got to go.
Braves
Aaron Hicks: America’s newest pro golfer
“ That clearly wasn’t the way the Angels envisioned his tenure when they inked him to a major league deal”
Yeah, but it was the way everyone else did…..
I love how Cashman won the Hicks trade with Minnesota and then managed to turn that transaction into 1 of the worst signings in Yankees history.
Hahaha! So true!
Clip,
Am I reading this right, Hicks’s contract with the Yankees runs through 2025 at 9 million per year, are they really carrying that dead money until the 2025 off-season? Good lord what a terrible contract if that’s correct…
I believe the Yankees traded him for catcher John Ryan Murphy, who not only hit below the Mendoza line….but also below the “Gallo line” (below. 150) 🙂
Yes thats correct. Thats nothing, I expect Yankees to likely eat DJ remaining $30 million that expires 2026 and Stanton’s $66 million that expires 2027 that includes his 2028 buyout and Marlins $30 million. Both coukd be released after this season or after 2025.
@Anthony maresca A big part of their decision-making is how Jasson Dominguez performs when he comes back. If he does well, moving/DFA’ing Stanton should be a priority to free up the DH spot.
That happens all the time. And it is kind of intuitive. You trade for a player, he looks good, so you extend him. My RS did that with Eovaldi & Sale.
lol, Clipper’s favorite player
@clip yeah hicks was a waste of a signing they were trying to catch lightning in a bottle. They have marisnick he will be fine off the bench, and was doing good in spring training. Still don’t get why they cut hicks and signed pillar pretty much the same player
Hicks on his way to getting released by every MLB team
Cashman says you’re welcome:
msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/thanks-cashman-angels-fan…
Maybe he should try golf, apparently he’s really good as an amateur
OUCH that has to hurt. Trout lost for season need OF to replace. Just not Aaron Hicks.
Hocks will be a Twin … good fit with Buxton out and will be for the minimum
Its weird how he improved so much with the O’s. He was a big contributor to last years team. I know they were fond of him and possibly floated him an offer during the offseason but I dont think there is any room for him there now. I wouldnt mind if he came back but I think someone will give him a try.
helps when your own fans don’t hate you from deep in their bowels. talk about a difficult place to work. Yankee fans like to eat their own.
New Yorkers, you do you. I’m glad that Camden Yards is a little more civil and less hateful.
just barely made it past april LMAO
classic angels
their FO is neck and neck with rockies for worst in MLB
I would say the a’s is first place in that department
nah theyre just doing their annual rebuild, the fo is decent and theyre already showing some signs of progress this season
The A’s do not make bad free agent moves rly, they couldnt afford too like Angels can
but whatever drugs they were on during that selloff, (like actually serious, its possible) they got no good prospects back.
But they have done that before, they got nothing for their past selloffs of players like Donaldson
The guys they traded away werent big name trade pickups
A’s seem to be good at developing some talent from within
Seem like us, angel fans just can’t catch a break.now We got one of the worst owners in major league baseball.in Arte Moreno
@cubswin108 a’s have the worst owner in the mlb, they could actually spend if they wanted to, but the fans have boycotted them. Beane might’ve got them in the right direction but the last couple rebuilds have been duds. You can also say the rockies, marlins,nationals. Arte just needs to take a step back, and hire people that are qualified. Perry hasn’t been that bad most of his 1st round picks were fastracked the problem is depth in the minors, and that problem is because they need to get better scouts.
Aaron Hicks has long been in need of a significant swing change because he has aged and his skills have deteriorated. Except he won’t do it.
There are far too many moving parts in his swing for him to be successful at his age at the plate. His teachability needs work too if he is to continue playing in the big leagues. Right now a AAA pitcher could get him out easily.