Hays went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI in Tuesday's win against Seattle.
Hays was activated from the injured list after recovering from a calf injury and made an immediate impact in his Reds debut. He knocked an RBI single in the third inning before ripping a three-run shot in the fifth. Hays posted a .699 OPS in 255 regular-season plate appearances with the Phillies and Orioles during the 2024 campaign. As things stand, he appears to have a good share of playing time in left field for the Reds.
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Reds' Austin Hays: Activated ahead of season debut
Rotowire
The Reds activated Hays (calf) from the 10-day injured list Tuesday.
Hays is ready to make his season/Reds debut after missing nearly the first three weeks of the season with a strained calf. The 29-year-old is expected to see the bulk of the starts in left field for Cincinnati.
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Reds' Austin Hays: Could rejoin big club Tuesday
Rotowire
Manager Terry Francona said Sunday that he's hopeful that Hays (calf) will be ready to return from the 10-day injured list Tuesday for the Reds' series opener versus the Mariners, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
Before a decision is made regarding whether Hays will be activated for the three-game series with Seattle, the Reds plan to evaluate him Monday after he played for Triple-A Louisville on three consecutive days over the weekend. He went 2-for-9 with a home run, two RBI, two runs and one stolen base across those contests, and perhaps most importantly, Hays logged nine innings in right field Sunday. Once activated, Hays should handle a near-everyday role at either corner-outfield spot, and his arrival could provide a needed boost for a Reds offense that has thus far produced a team wOBA of .268, the third-worst mark in the majors.
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Reds' Austin Hays: Kicks off rehab assignment
Rotowire
Hays (calf) started in left field and went 0-for-2 with an RBI in a rehab game for Triple-A Louisville on Friday.
Hays began a rehab assignment and played seven innings in the field. He had been scheduled to begin the assignment Thursday, but the game was rained out. Hays will appear in three of the four games in this series against Indianapolis. After playing the field Friday, he'll serve as the DH in one half of Saturday's doubleheader, but then back to the field Sunday. Presumably, that activity will be enough for Hays to be activated and play Tuesday at home against Seattle.
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Reds' Austin Hays: Beginning rehab assignment
Rotowire
Hays (calf) has reported to Triple-A Louisville and will begin a rehab assignment Thursday.
Hays likely won't need much time to get back up to full speed after suffering a low-grade left calf strain at the tail end of spring training, but he could end up sticking around in Louisville through the weekend to pick up some at-bats before being activated from the 10-day injured list. With Gavin Lux having recently taken over as the Reds' primary second baseman in the wake of Matt McLain (hamstring) landing on the IL, Hays could have a near-everyday role in left field waiting for him once he's cleared to rejoin Cincinnati.
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Reds' Austin Hays: Targeting next homestand for return
Rotowire
Hays (calf) is showing improvement but is not expected to return from the 10-day injured list until at least April 11, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "It's not necessarily fair to him to put a timetable, but I think the goal is when we come back from San Francisco," manager Terry Francona said Sunday.
Hays sustained a calf injury late in spring training and is eligible to come off the IL on April 3, when Cincinnati begins a seven-game trip to Milwaukee and San Francisco. The Reds will have to play without the outfielder longer than originally expected. Gavin Lux has filled in for Hays in left field the first three games of the season.
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Reds' Austin Hays: Lands on IL with calf injury
Rotowire
The Reds placed Hays on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a low-grade left calf strain, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
Manager Terry Francona isn't expecting a lengthy stay on the shelf for Hays, who could be activated April 3 when first eligible. Gavin Lux could make starts in left field against right-handed pitching while Hays is out, with Blake Dunn also in the mix for at-bats.
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Reds' Austin Hays: Projected for cleanup spot
Rotowire
Hays is projected to serve as the Reds' Opening Day left fielder and cleanup hitter against the Giants on Thursday, Charlie Goldsmith of Cincinnati Magazine reports.
Hays had a great spring after signing a one-year deal with the Reds in January, slashing .310/.370/.690 with three homers and a steal across 46 plate appearances. The Reds made it clear when they signed him that Hays would be given the chance to play every day, and he's now positioned himself for a key run-producing spot in Cincinnati behind TJ Friedl, Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz -- at least against right-handed pitching. Hays could move up even higher in the order against lefties.
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Reds' Austin Hays: Inks one-year pact with Cincinnati
Rotowire
The Reds signed Hays to a one-year, $5 million contract Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
He'll have an opportunity to earn an additional $1 million in incentives. Hays was limited to just 85 games between the Orioles and Phillies in 2024 due to a calf strain and a kidney infection, and he slashed a disappointing .255/.303/.396 when on the field. However, he had a career .751 OPS prior to last season, including a .779 OPS versus left-handers, so some level of rebound for the 29-year-old in 2025 is doable. Great American Ball Park is an ideal landing spot, although it's not clear whether the Reds intend to give Hays regular starts against righties in addition to lefties.
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Austin Hays: Non-tendered by Philadelphia
Rotowire
The Phillies non-tendered Hays on Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Hays had been projected to make more than $6 million in his final year of arbitration eligibility, and the Phillies have opted to send him to free agency rather than give him a raise. The 29-year-old slashed only .255/.303/.396 over 85 games in 2024 while splitting time between the Orioles and Phillies. He had a solid .262/.314/.437 career line prior to this past season and can handle all three outfield spots, so Hays shouldn't have trouble finding a gig elsewhere.
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Phillies' Austin Hays: Not starting Game 4
Rotowire
Hays is absent from the lineup Wednesday in Game 4 of the NLDS versus the Mets, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
It's lefty Jose Quintana on the bump for the Mets, but it will be Weston Wilson and not Hays getting the call in left field for the Phillies. Hays started Game 3 and went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts.
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Phillies' Austin Hays: Doesn't appear in Game 1
Rotowire
Hays (back) did not appear in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Mets on Saturday.
Hays missed the final two games of the regular season with a back issue, and despite having a week off he still did not take the field in Philadelphia's first postseason game. If his absence was health related, the Phillies' decision to include him on the roster suggests he should be back in the short term.
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Phillies' Austin Hays: Not in Sunday's lineup
Rotowire
Hays (back) is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.
Hays will sit for the regular-season finale as he continues to battle back soreness, but he could be available off the bench for Sunday's contest. Kody Clemens will start in left field and bat seventh.
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Phillies' Austin Hays: Slated to return Tuesday
Rotowire
The Phillies plan to activate Hays (kidney) from the 10-day injured list prior to Tuesday's game versus the Cubs, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Hays will be given a rest day Monday after playing rehab games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday and Sunday before rejoining the Phillies' active roster Tuesday. He's missed most of this month while battling a kidney infection.
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Phillies' Austin Hays: May return Tuesday
Rotowire
Hays (kidney) could be activated off the 10-day injured list Tuesday following his rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley over the weekend, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Hays has been on the IL since Sept. 5 due to a kidney infection. The 29-year-old outfielder has thus far played in two games for Lehigh Valley, going 2-for-9 with one walk and three runs. Barring any setbacks, Hays could be activated ahead of Tuesday's game against the Cubs.
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Phillies' Austin Hays: Placed on injured list
Rotowire
The Phillies placed Hays on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a kidney infection, retroactive to Sept. 2.
While Hays' infection helps explain why he's sat out both of the Phillies' last two games, it remains unknown if he'll require more than a minimum-length stay on the IL. Cal Stevenson will come up from Triple-A to fill the open spot on the active roster, though Johan Rojas figures to receive the largest increase in playing time while Hays is out.
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Phillies' Austin Hays: Idle again Wednesday
Rotowire
Hays is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
On the bench for the second day in a row, Hays' standing as an everyday player for the Phillies is seemingly in flux while he's produced an underwhelming .254/.275/.373 slash line since joining the team in late July. Johan Rojas took Hays' spot in the starting outfield in Tuesday's 10-9 win, but Weston Wilson will replace him in the series finale in Toronto.
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Phillies' Austin Hays: Out of Philadelphia lineup
Rotowire
Hays is absent from the lineup for Friday's game against Atlanta.
This will be the second time he's been on the bench in eight contests since returning from a hamstring injury. With Hays receiving a day of rest, Brandon Marsh will slide over to left field and Johan Rojas will occupy center.
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Phillies' Austin Hays: Not in Sunday's lineup
Rotowire
Hays is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.
Hays started the past two games after being activated from the 10-day injured list Friday, and he'll receive Sunday off after going 2-for-8 with a double and an RBI. Brandon Marsh will shift to left field while Johan Rojas receives the nod in center.
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Phillies' Austin Hays: Collects hit in return
Rotowire
Hays went 1-for-4 in Friday's 7-4 loss to the Royals.
Getting the start in left field and batting ninth in his return from a hamstring strain, Hays poked a single in the top of the third inning as the Phillies threatened to put together a rally, but the top of the order failed to advance him. The veteran outfielder is slashing .262/.279/.381 in 11 games since being traded from the Orioles, with one homer, two steals, four RBI and five runs for his new club. Hays should reclaim an everyday role for the Phillies now that he's healthy.
