Padres Add Right-Handed Bench Bat To Fortify Offense
· Yahoo Sports
The San Diego Padres made yet another move to try to bolster their offense and their outfield situation by signing Austin Hays to a major league deal, with the signing reported by multiple outlets, including AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.
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Hays was designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox, as teh 31-year old outfielder was hitting .233 whith an OPS of just .576. He spent most of the year rehabbing from a variety of leg injuries, according to Cassavell, but he’s mashed against lefties to the tune of a .816 OPS.
That’s a perfect fit for the Padres, who have a team OPS of .668 against southpaws. Hays role will probably be to come off the bench and possibly start in left field.
“If I get starts, I get starts; if I’ve got to come in off the bench and face some nasty lefties, I’m ready for that,” Hays said. “Whatever they need me for, I’m ready for.”
He’s also reached the postseason in each of the last three seasons with three different teams, according to Cassavell, with the Baltimore Orioles in 2023, the Philadelphia Phillies in 2024 and the Cincinnati Reds last year. He was basically a platoon player with all of those teams.
“He’s a good right-handed bench bat,” said manager Craig Stammen. “He’ll be able to play the outfield really well, one of those guys that, in his career, has hit lefty pitching really well. So he’s somebody that we can bring in to pinch-hit against a tough lefty, or someone that we can start against a lefty.”
Hays became the odd man out in Chicago due to a combination of circumstances, with the two big ones being his injuries and the club suddenly contending, which left him without a roster spot.
“Unfortunately, the team kind of found their way without me, while I was hurt,” Hays said. “I don’t get to see it through until the end -- that’s probably the hardest part. … But that’s just how this game goes sometimes; it doesn’t wait for you.”
Hays is leaving one contender to play for another, and he’s familiar with how this works.
“We’re in August, there’s a lot of meaningful baseball to be played,” Hays said. “I left one contender and came over here to a really good ballclub that’s built to win and built to go all the way to the finish line.
“I’m really thankful that I’m getting the opportunity to join a team like that. My legs are feeling good. I’m feeling healthy at the right time. I was swinging it really good on my rehab assignment. So I’m confident, healthy and ready to go.”
Hays played 20 games with Triple-A Charlotte during his rehab, and he posted a .779 OPS with six home runs, so he’s clearly ready to go.