The Mariners interview Milt Thompson for their hitting coach gig. This is important. This means something. - MLB

Apparently former Braves players who never really hit all that much are the new inefficiency when it comes to batting coaches: Ken Rosenthal reports that the Mariners have interviewed former Brave and — more importantly for our purposes — former Phillies hitting coach Milt Thompson for their opening at hitting coach. I guess they’re not all that interested in former Brave and former Mariner Jim Presley like the O’s are. A shame, really.

For what it’s worth, Thompson got a lot of credit for being a good hitting coach when the Phillies used to beat the hell out of the ball, and then got fired when they stopped doing so in the middle of the season. Of course, a new hitting coach didn’t help them figure out how to hit the hell out of the ball again, so maybe — and I know I’m talikin’ crazy here — the hitting coach doesn’t really matter all that much.

Of course, we know what happens next: the Mariners hire Thompson, and they improve. Which is inevitable, because they just posted one of the worst offensive seasons in modern memory. When they do, Thompson — or whoever gets the job — will be praised as some kind of Svengali and regression to the mean will be ignored like a middle child. Typical.

But hey, timing is everything.

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.”