The Philadelphia Phillies acquired outfielder Austin Hays on Friday from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for right-hander Seranthony Dominguez and outfielder Cristian Pache. Hays, a former third-round pick of the Orioles in 2016 out of Jacksonville University was in a roster crunch in Baltimore in a crowded outfield picture and was hitting just .255 (40-for-157) with three home runs and 14 RBI this year. The 29-year-old should have more of chance for regular playing time in Philly in left field, at least against left-handed pitchers, in a platoon with Brandon Marsh. Dominguez and Pache will strictly provide depth for the O's at their respective positions as they look to lock up the American League East division for the second straight year. Pache will most likely be a late-inning defensive replacement for his glove in center field.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays launched two home runs in Monday's win over the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, with the blasts being his first of the season. After crushing his first home run of the year off Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman to left field, making it 5-1 for the Orioles in the fourth inning, Hays skied his second long ball of the game to right field to make it 6-2 Baltimore in the seventh frame. The 28-year-old left fielder has missed a significant period of time due to injury this season, but he's now hitting .316 with Monday's two round-trippers, seven RBI and five runs scored in 14 games since coming off the injured list on May 15. Baltimore's outfield is as crowded as they come, as Hays is on the weak side of a platoon with the lefty-hitting Colton Cowser, but he could push for more playing time with continued hot hitting and Cedric Mullins scuffling at the plate.
Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that outfielder Austin Hays (calf) still has lingering effects from his left-calf injury, which is why he didn't start on Wednesday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays and was pinch-run for in the walk-off win. The 28-year-old didn't start on Wednesday, but he came off the bench as a pinch-hitter and hit a double before he was pulled for a pinch-runner. Hays just came off the injured list on Monday but apparently isn't healthy enough to serve as anything more than a pinch-hitter off the bench. Even if he were fully healthy after his stay on the IL, Hays would most likely be a bench player for the Orioles anyway given his slow start and with rookie Colton Cowser impressing offensively. Hays entered Wednesday's contest hitting .111 (5-for-45) on the year with no homers, two RBI and four runs scored.
The Baltimore Orioles reinstated outfielder Austin Hays (calf) from the 10-day injured list on Monday and designated outfielder Ryan McKenna for assignment in a corresponding move. Despite being activated from the IL, Hays was not included in the team's starting lineup on Monday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. The 28-year-old is back in the big leagues, but he's probably going to struggle to find consistent playing time as long as rookie Colton Cowser continues to play well and Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander stay healthy. He's also going to need to pick up the pace offensively if he wants to pick up more playing time. Before going on the IL with his calf injury on April 22, Hays was hitting just .111/.200/.111 in his first 50 plate appearances of the season. Because he's mostly only going to see action against left-handed pitching, Hays has become more of an AL-only asset in fantasy formats.
The Baltimore Orioles announced on Monday that outfielder Austin Hays (calf) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Bowie on Tuesday. Hays is working his way back from a left-calf strain that has sidelined him since April 20. Before his injury, the 28-year-old had already started losing playing time in Baltimore's outfield with rookie Colton Cowser impressing early on. But since then, Cowser's bat has cooled off, so it's possible that Hays will get another shot to make some noise for the O's when he's activated from the 10-day injured list, possibly as early as later this week. Unless Hays flips the script and sends Cowser to the bench, he'll mostly be a bench option in AL-only leagues. Before his injury, he had gone 5-for-45 (.111) with no homers and two RBI in 19 games.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays (calf) said his left calf feels much better and he has run the past few days. He is running the bases and doing some hitting on Thursday, but he's unsure if he'll need to go on a brief minor-league rehab assignment. Not only is the 28-year-old on the 10-day injured list with a left-calf strain, but before his injury, he had fallen out of favor in Baltimore's outfield due to the impressive start for rookie outfielder Colton Cowser. Since his placement on the IL, the O's also called up top outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad, although Kjerstad could be sent back to the minors once Hays is ready to return. Hays is currently hitting just .111 (5-for-45) with no homers and two RBI, and he'll almost certainly return to a bench role when he's eventually reinstated.
The Baltimore Orioles placed outfielder Austin Hays (calf) on the 10-day injured list on Monday, retroactive to Sunday. After leaving Saturday's win over the Kansas City Royals, Hays needs to miss some additional time with a strained left calf. The 28-year-old left fielder was already trending down due to a feeble .111/.200/.111 triple-slash line with just two RBI over 45 at-bats (19 games) as well as the emergence of former top prospect Colton Cowser for the O's, so fantasy managers shouldn't feel inclined to stash Hays while he's sidelined. Cowser's playing time in left field becomes even more solidified in the absence of Hays. Hitting .373 (19-for-51) with five home runs, six doubles, nine runs scored, and three stolen bases to this point, Cowser is a player with five-category upside in Baltimore's potent lineup for the foreseeable future.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays (calf) was removed from Saturday's game in Kansas City with calf tightness. Hayes was replaced in the seventh inning by Colton Cowser. It was later announced that he had injured his calf, which was why Hays was pulled from the game. The 28-year-old went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run before exiting. The severity of Hays' injury is unknown, and he is considered day-to-day. Hays has struggled this season, hitting .111 (5-for-45) with two RBI over 19 games. Cowser has surpassed Hays on the outfield depth chart, and fantasy managers can leave Hays on the waiver wire in most leagues even if he avoids a trip to the injured list.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays will start on the bench again on Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox with Colton Cowser starting in left field and hitting seventh against Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford. Hays has now started on the bench for Baltimore in three of the last five games and continues to lose playing time to Cowser. The 28-year-old has gone just 2-for-26 (.077) with no home runs, two RBI and seven strikeouts in his first nine games after making the All-Star team for the first time in his career in 2023. Meanwhile, Cowser has gone 7-for-15 (.467) with no homers and five RBI in his first nine games. Hays' fantasy stock is clearly on the decline early in 2024, and he's probably going to have to hit his way back into the lineup if Cowser remains healthy.
Jordan Westburg, Austin Hays Sitting Against Red Sox
Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg and outfielder Austin Hays are not in the starting lineup against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. With the two resting in Beantown, Tony Kemp is playing second base and batting ninth, while Colton Cowser starts in left field and is hitting seventh in the lineup against Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello. This will be Westburg's first game off of the season, and he could use the break, as he's started off the year hitting just .194 in his first 34 plate appearances in 2024. Hays has also started slow, going just 2-for-26 (.077) in his first eight games played. Cowser has never faced Bello in his career, while Kemp has one hit in his two at-bats against him. Cowser is the better upside sleeper play in DFS and is off to a .455 (5-for-11) start in 2024.
