Lorenzo Cain expected to miss rest of season with hamstring injury - MLB

When the Royals traded Melky Cabrera to the Giants for Jonathan Sanchez over the winter, the objective was to give Lorenzo Cain an opportunity to be the regular center fielder. Things haven’t exactly worked out as planned.

While Sanchez was a major bust before being traded to the Rockies for Jeremy Guthrie, Cain just hasn’t been able to stay on the field this season. After missing three months earlier this year with a torn hip flexor, Cain told Dick Kaegel of MLB.com last night that he will miss the rest of the season due to a right hamstring injury.

Cain suffered the injury when he tried to make a diving catch in the 10th inning of Thursday’s loss to the Twins. While it was originally thought to be a minor injury, it turns out that he suffered a Grade 2 strain. The Royals called up Jason Bourgeois from Triple-A Omaha yesterday and he’s expected to be used in a platoon with David Lough in center field down the stretch.

Cain batted .266/.316/.419 with seven home runs, 31 RBI, 10 stolen bases and a .734 OPS in 244 plate appearances this season while playing solid defense, so he has shown enough to open 2013 as the starting center fielder. Top prospect Wil Myers is knocking on the door for a promotion to the big leagues, but the Royals still have right fielder Jeff Francoeur under contract for $6.75 million next season.

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.”