The Tigers won’t shut down Miguel Cabrera

By Sep 17, 2017, 3:48 PM EDT
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Tigers’ manager Brad Ausmus announced that he has no intention of shutting down veteran infielder Miguel Cabrera for the remainder of the regular season, according to pregame comments made on Sunday. Cabrera was removed from Saturday’s 10-4 loss to the White Sox after experiencing a flare-up of lower back tightness. It’s the same injury that sidelined him during spring training in March, and then again in April, August and September. With the Tigers already eliminated from both the division and wild card races, it would make sense to rest Cabrera as the team starts looking toward 2018. So, what gives?

For starters, Ausmus says there’s little benefit to be derived from an extra two weeks on the disabled list. “He’s about to get four months off,” the skipper told reporters. “So four months and two weeks are going to help him?”

Even if an added rest period helped keep Cabrera healthy for the Tigers’ 2018 campaign, there’s no reason to believe that his chronic back problems would be gone for good. In fact, the Tigers appear to believe the opposite. Ausmus reiterated his belief that Cabrera will be dealing with back pain for the remainder of his major league career, and doesn’t think that the injury is severe enough to warrant surgery or other intensive treatment.

Whether or not Ausmus’ premonitions are correct remains to be seen. Cabrera sat against the White Sox on Sunday, stalling his offensive production at a .248/.329/.402 batting line, 16 home runs and a .731 OPS through 507 PA. The Tigers still have seven more years invested in their star slugger, back problems or not. He’ll ride out the tail end of an eight-year, $248-million contract extension in 2023 and will have $30 million vesting options in 2024 and 2025 for his age-41 and age-42 seasons.

Orioles sign OF Aaron Hicks, put Cedric Mullins on 10-day IL with groin strain

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 11:07 AM EDT
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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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.”