On July 26, the Philadelphia Phillies pulled off a trade with the Baltimore Orioles in which they sent reliever Seranthony Dominguez and outfielder Cristian Pache in exchange for O’s OF Austin Hays. The Phils believed they were shoring up their lineup and OF depth with a starting-caliber player.
Instead, the Phillies only got a .256/.275/.397 line with a .672 OPS in 22 games from Hays. Of course, injuries got in the way and the player just couldn’t replicate his past form.
Phillies will non-tender Austin Hays
On Friday, Hays learned from the Phillies that he will be non-tendered ahead of the deadline, and he will enter the free agent market with a chance to start over after a forgettable 2024.
“Austin Hays was informed he is being non-tendered by the Phillies. Only 29, Hays suffered through a severe kidney infection after being traded to Philly. Only a year removed from an All-Star and Gold Glove finalist season, he’ll be an interesting free agent,” MLB insider Jon Heyman posted on X.
It didn’t work out with the Phillies, but Hays could help another team
Hays has a career .745 OPS and has been a starter in the past. He has some pop, hits lots of doubles, and his glove is respected around the league. It didn’t work out with the Phillies, but he is young enough to think the chances of a rebound campaign in the right situation.
The 2023 All-Star could resurface on another contender or as a regular in a mid-tier team. A kidney infection definitely doesn’t sound fun at all, but Hays is a very capable major leaguer at full health and it sounds like he might be getting new opportunities in 2025.
The Phillies, on the other hand, are reportedly aiming high. Multiple reports suggest that they will definitely add a star-level player in the off-season and that they are open to spending. They are monitoring Juan Soto’s market and remain in the most for the talented outfielder.
