Mets announce changes to Citi Field - MLB

Responding to fans who felt the new
Citi Field wasn’t a tribute to the blue ‘n’ orange as much as it was a
baseball field with a neat little entrance way dedicated to Jackie
Robinson, the Mets announced plans to expand the presence of club history throughout the ballpark for its second season.

– The Mets will rename the park’s
VIP entrances after Gil Hodges, Tom Seaver and Casey Stengel, while the
outfield bridge will be called Shea Bridge, in honor of William A.
Shea, the man who was instrumental in bringing National League baseball
back to New York.

– The team will install the Mets
Hall of Fame & Museum adjacent to the Jackie Robinson
Rotunda. Additionally, a re-formed Mets Hall of Fame Committee,
including members of the media and front office, will evaluate
potential inductees.

– Finally, the team will incorporate
the team colors, logos and full-color banners of Mets players at
various entry points of the park. They’ll also add a few more bells and
whistles, including staircases painted with team colors and blue and
orange flowers in the gardens at Mets Plaza in front of the
Jackie Robinson Rotunda.

Wow. These alterations are so darn
reasonable that it’s almost embarrassing they weren’t implemented from
day one. While the Mets did their fans right today, thankfully these
announcements didn’t include any silly plans to tweak the actual
playing field.

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.”