Aaron Hicks appeared fully completely different when he arrived in Baltimore.
The Orioles observed a great deal of Hicks for the eight years he carried out for the New York Yankees, nonetheless after he signed with Baltimore last week, he confirmed as a lot as his new clubhouse with a model new look.
Now not having to abide by the Yankees’ strict no facial hair protection, Hicks has let his stubble develop out proper right into a trimmed beard. However the change in look isn’t the one issue fully completely different with the veteran outfielder.
The brand new-look Hicks is off to a torrid start in Baltimore, hitting .368 with a 1.087 OPS in his first six video video games as a result of the fill-in for the injured Cedric Mullins.
“If I preserve hitting, I suppose I gotta preserve it,” Hicks said with enjoyable.
His facial hair isn’t the one issue that’s further relaxed. Hicks was launched by the Yankees on Could 26 after persistent struggles that date to 2021, nonetheless now he appears to be like like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.
“I can simply go play,” Hicks said. “I’ve performed just about each sport since I’ve been right here. I felt type of this yr I used to be put in a task [in New York]. It’s powerful while you’re enjoying in a task, you by no means actually know while you’re gonna play. It’s arduous to get right into a rhythm, and I’m extra of a rhythm hitter.”
He said the model new beard is his “offseason look,” nonetheless as quickly because the Yankees let him go and swallowed the last word $27 million of his $70 million contract, he spent the ten days away from the game rising it out, realizing wherever he landed wouldn’t have the an identical tips as New York. The Yankees haven’t allowed players to sport facial hair (moreover mustaches) since former proprietor George Steinbrenner instituted the protection in 1973.
“I’ve positively loved it, not having to shave on a regular basis, particularly me being bald. It’s positively rather a lot simpler,” said Hicks, who added that he was OK with the longstanding customized in New York. “It permits me to be myself and showcase my character.”
When the Orioles launched inside the switch-hitter after Mullins was positioned on the injured guidelines with a correct groin strain, it wasn’t anticipated that the 33-year-old would change all of the manufacturing that Mullins, an All-Star in 2021 and Gold Glove finalist in 2022, affords. Hicks hit .188 with a .524 OPS with the Yankees this season after posting back-to-back subpar offensive seasons. He was last an above-average hitter in 2020.
To this point, though, he principally has modified Mullins, reaching base in all six of his video video games as an Oriole, going 7-for-19 with three walks, hitting his first home run Tuesday and making a steady catch Saturday in San Francisco.
Supervisor Brandon Hyde said Hicks has been a “increase” to an Orioles lineup that has struggled not too way back, scoring three or fewer runs in 9 of its earlier 12 video video games and averaging 3.6 runs in that timeframe.
“Though the numbers weren’t good [in New York], he has the flexibility to take a stroll and the flexibility to put off pitches outdoors the strike zone,” Hyde said. “He’s carried out that thus far with us. He’s moreover doing a bit hurt on balls inside the strike zone. He’s carried out a really good center self-discipline.
“He’s added rather a lot to our lineup since he’s been right here.”
Orioles authorities vice chairman and primary supervisor Mike Elias said shortly after he signed Hicks that he was hopeful the veteran outfielder had further left inside the tank after hitting .214 in his earlier three seasons with the American League East rival.
“It’s possible you’ll not get an awesome final result on the whole lot, however we see stuff with Aaron Hicks that we like and it seems like a great match for us,” Elias said. “I hope that is shot within the arm for him, and I hope that he helps us out and helps us win some video games.”
Being on a model new workforce, Hicks said, has been an adjustment. The Orioles are merely the third group he’s carried out for, arising by the Twins system as a first-round select and participating in his first three seasons in Minnesota sooner than spending eight in New York. One side that’s made the transition straightforward is the familiarity. Except for Minnesota’s Goal Subject and New York’s Yankee Stadium, Camden Yards is the stadium Hicks has carried out in primarily probably the most in his career.
“I’ve performed in opposition to them for therefore lengthy,” Hicks said. “They’ve seen me after I was good, they usually’ve seen me after I was unhealthy. They already had a fairly good thought of the type of hitter I used to be after I received right here.”
Hicks isn’t the one Oriole to make the transition this season from the Huge Apple to the Attraction Metropolis, as catcher James McCann carried out for the New York Mets the sooner two seasons. McCann, a 10-year veteran, said participating in under the brightest of lights in New York might be an issue.
“You stroll in a clubhouse of a New York staff, there’s triple the quantity of media than different locations,” McCann said. “There’s extra protection, there’s extra shops, there’s extra the whole lot. However, additionally, I don’t care the place you’re enjoying, you discuss to any skilled athlete, they usually’re gonna have larger expectations of themselves than any fan or media member is gonna have. I believe the distinction is that the whole lot is simply amplified [in New York] simply due to the quantity of protection there may be in comparison with different cities.”
Hicks said he nonetheless “loves New York,” calling the Yankees a “top-notch” group. In his prime from 2017 to 2020, Hicks was a treasured participant, posting a .819 OPS with 60 home runs. However, when cases acquired highly effective as they normally did for Hicks the earlier three seasons, the unfavourable consideration elevated.
“There’s a ton of strain there,” Hicks said. “There’s no operating away from it.”
The solely working Hicks has been doing with the Orioles is throughout the bases and in center self-discipline. Hyde said shortly after the signing that he hoped a model new home would carry once more the earlier Hicks. To this point, it has.
“I believe he’s actually having fun with it. Generally, perhaps a change of surroundings, I’m hoping that’s what it’s,” Hyde said. “He’s participating in with a ton of life, a ton of energy. You see him smile inside the clubhouse, he’s having enjoyable with being out proper right here, he’s having enjoyable with being inside the lineup day-after-day. That’s one factor that hasn’t occurred for him in a pair years. Coming to the ballpark realizing he’s gonna play most likely frees him up just a bit bit.
“To this point, he’s taking advantage of this chance.”
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