Major League Baseball (finally) approves the Cubs' sale - MLB

I’m pretty sure that Ron Santo was the starting third baseman when the Ricketts-buying-the-Cubs negotiations started. With the exception of a bankruptcy court’s rubber stamp, however, the process is finally over:

Major League Baseball owners welcomed the Ricketts family to an exclusive fraternity Tuesday, unanimously approving its proposal via conference call to become the owner of the Cubs . . . The Ricketts family still must clear one more hurdle in bankruptcy court before it can assume day-to-day control of the team. The transaction, valued at $845 million, is expected to be closed by the end of the month.

Whether this will mean anything for the Cubs on the field in the short term is debatable. Rick Morrissey, despite what seems like some wild optimism — “I dare say the Cubs could field the same team next season minus Meltdown Bradley (all right, and Kevin Gregg) and be a factor in the playoffs — thinks that there won’t be a lot of offseason personnel moves. The fact of the matter is that they have a lot of big contracts, one of which — Bradley — they’re probably going to just eat. Ricketts is a billionaire, and you usually don’t get to be a billionaire by making hasty, public-pleasing decisions. He’s probably going to stand more or less pat this year and see what he has before tearing things up.

But it is a new day in Chicago, and for that Cubs fans should be happy indeed.

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles signed outfielder Aaron Hicks less than 24 hours after Cedric Mullins went down with a strained right groin.

Mullins went on the 10-day injured list, but the Orioles are hoping Hicks can help defensively in the spacious outfield at Camden Yards. Hicks was released last week by the New York Yankees with more than 2 1/2 seasons left on his contract.

“We had noticed that he was a free agent even before the injury,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. “When the injury occurred and it became pretty clear this was going to be an IL, it seemed like a good fit even more so at that time.”

The Orioles are responsible for paying Hicks just $483,871, a prorated share of the $720,000 minimum salary. The Yankees owe him the rest of his $10.5 million salary this year, plus $9.5 million in each of the next two seasons and a $1 million buyout of a 2026 team option.

The 33-year-old Hicks hit just .188 in 28 games for the Yankees this year.

“We have stuff that we look at from a scouting and evaluation perspective,” Elias said. “It’s very different from just looking at the back of a baseball card, and we hope that we get a bounceback from anyone we bring here.”

Hicks batted .216 last season.

“Hopefully that’s a good thing for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the Baltimore deal. “A lot of time here and a lot of good things happened for him here. I know the last couple of years have been a struggle. But hopefully it’s a good opportunity for him and certainly wish him well. Not too well being in our division and a team we’re chasing, but hopefully it’s a really good fit for him.”

Mullins left a loss to Cleveland after he pulled up while running out an infield grounder. Outfielder Colton Cowser – the fifth pick in the draft two years ago – is hitting .331 at Triple-A Norfolk, but he went on the IL in the past couple weeks.

“Certainly he was building a case towards promotion consideration prior to his injury and prior to Cedric’s injury,” Elias said. “We’ll just see where we’re at.”

Hicks was active for the game but not in the starting lineup. Austin Hays, normally Baltimore’s left field, was in Mullins’ usual spot in center.

When the wall in left at Camden Yards was pushed significantly back before last season, it made left field a bigger challenge defensively.

“In this park … you really need two center fielders,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Aaron’s got a lot of center-field experience. Played left field here before also. Brings the defensive aspect and then the switch-hitting.”