Orioles' Aaron Hicks responds to boos from Yankees fans

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Aaron Hicks always expected to hear loud boos during the series at the New York Yankees, his former club.

"I mean, it was like that when I was here," Hicks saidk, per Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun. "I definitely enjoyed my time here. I enjoyed being a Yankee, and I enjoyed the team. It’s kind of one of those things where it’s a little disappointing, but at the same time, it’s like they’re gonna do what they’re gonna do, and I can’t control that." 

Hicks signed a seven-year, $70M contract extension with the Yankees ahead of the 2019 season but largely failed to impress after putting pen to paper on that deal. The 33-year-old acknowledged this winter that "baseball wasn’t fun" for him as he routinely heard boos Yankees fans in 2022, and he subsequently admitted this spring he understood "100 percent" why he continued to receive jeers from paying customers throughout his struggles at the plate until the Bronx Bombers parted ways with him in May. 

Hicks ultimately landed with Baltimore and entered Wednesday slashing .264/.379/.494 across 28 games with the Orioles after he hit just .188 with one home run and five RBI in 28 contests with New York this season. On Tuesday, he blasted his fifth homer and tallied his 13th RBI as a member of the Orioles during an 8-4 loss at Yankee Stadium. 

"I felt like the whole time [in New York], I was just trying to play for playing time," Hicks explained. "To be able to come here and play every day, it’s been huge. Of course, the change of scenery has been good. Everything’s been positive since I’ve been here. This team is fun. They’re young, and they’re hungry, and it’s been fun to be here." 

The second-place Orioles (49-35) ended Tuesday's MLB action leading the third-place Yankees (48-38) by two games in the American League East standings but trailing the first-place Tampa Bay Rays (57-31) by six games.