MLB

MLB Weekly Digest January 25th Edition: Baseball Icon Hank Aaron Dies at 86

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The prior week in MLB was about an iconic player passing away and pair of outfielders sign multi-year deals with American League teams.

Iconic Player Hank Aaron Dies at 86

The baseball world lost an outstanding player and better person several days ago when Hank Aaron died at 86.

The Atlanta Braves said in a press release that Aaron died peacefully in his sleep.

Aaron is arguably one of the best players the sport has ever seen.

The outfielder had an illustrious 23-year career with the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers.

He tallied 755 home runs, earned 25 All-Star selections, and was named the National League MVP in 1957.

Aaron is most remembered for what transpired on April 8, 1974, against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing.

He crushed a 1-0 pitch into the left-field stands at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium to break Babe Ruth’s home run record.

The 715th home run of his career was a great moment in the history of baseball.

Aaron was a terrific hitter in his career, and two numbers stand out when mentioning his greatness on the baseball diamond.

They are 2,297 and 6,856, the first is career RBIs, and the second is total bases.

Andrew Simon of MLB.com provides the context of how magnificent Aaron’s record of total bases.

Both of those are the all-time record in each category.

Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.

He was an accomplished player, but he earned more respect for enduring racial injustice throughout his career.

Aaron will be significantly missed due to his impact on and off the field.

Toronto Blue Jays Sign Outfielder George Springer to Six-Year Deal

The Toronto Blue Jays have a new outfielder as they have agreed to a deal with outfielder George Springer, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

The contract will pay Springer $150 million over six years, Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

The contract structure is front-loaded as he gets a $10 million signing bonus, including $50 million during the first two years of the deal, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.

This is the largest contract the Blue Jays have given a player, besting the seven-year, $126-million extension they gave to outfielder Vernon Wells in 2006, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com.

The Blue Jays edged out the New York Mets to sign Springer.

They were the two teams who had the most interest in the outfielder.

The Mets shifted their interest in Springer after acquiring shortstop Francisco Lindor from the Cleveland Indians, per Andy Martino of SNY.

Springer was a key player during his seven years with the Houston Astros as he helped them achieve success during that timeframe.

Springer is an excellent hitter who has power to all fields and plays stellar defense in center field.

He is an excellent addition to the Blue Jays, who have a strong nucleus of young talent.

Houston Astros Re-Sign Outfielder Michael Brantley to Two-Year Contract

The Houston Astros have re-signed outfielder Michael Brantley to a two-year, $32-million contract, per Mark Berman of KRIV Houston.

There were reports that Brantley had agreed to a three-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays last week, but a club official refuted the report, per Hazel Mae of Sportsnet.

https://twitter.com/thehazelmae/status/1351956672013598725?s=20

Brantley has been fantastic the past two years with the Astros, as indicated by a .309 batting average and .867 OPS in 194 games with 55 doubles, 27 home runs, and 112 RBIs over that period.

The Astros re-signing Brantley was a smart move as he can hit for power and is superb at making contact.

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Chris Lacey

Chris is a New Jersey native whose favorite sports team is the Arizona Diamondbacks. He previously attended Western New England College to study Sports Management. Chris has been following the Diamondbacks since he was 12. You can find him on Twitter at @aecanada12.
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Chris Lacey
Chris is a New Jersey native whose favorite sports team is the Arizona Diamondbacks. He previously attended Western New England College to study Sports Management. Chris has been following the Diamondbacks since he was 12. You can find him on Twitter at @aecanada12.

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