Anthony Rendon suspension reduced to 4 games by MLB, appeal dropped - MLB

SEATTLE — Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon says he is dropping his appeal after his suspension was reduced to four games by Major League Baseball for his altercation with a fan last week.

Rendon spoke before the Angels opened a series in Seattle and said the league had agreed to reduce his suspension from five games to four. The initial five-game suspension was handed down by MLB senior vice president Michael Hill and the appeal by Rendon was immediate.

Rendon’s suspension will begin immediately and he will sit the entire series against Seattle.

“It sucks. My emotions got the best of me. I’m usually pretty good about interacting with fans. Always like to chirp back at them, kind of have fun with it,” Rendon said in his first comments about the incident.

Rendon grabbed a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after a 2-1 loss at Oakland. Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

A video showed the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon grabs the man’s shirt and asks him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

Rendon said he spoke with the fan on the phone.

“We both apologized about what had happened. We’re both ready to move forward,” Rendon said.

Rendon was initially listed in the lineup for the Angels before deciding to begin his suspension once it was reduced. He’ll also miss the Angels home opener against Toronto.

Luis Rengifo moved into the starting lineup and Gio Urshela moved to third base with Rendon out.

“He’s a great leader on our team. He’s accepted responsibility as a good leader and person would and we move on from it,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said.

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.”