Phillies Move On from Austin Hays: Non-Tendered and Headed for…

In their pursuit of a more productive, consistent presence in the outfield.

The Philadelphia Phillies have officially

parted ways with outfielder Austin Hays,

making him a free agent after non-

tendering him before the 8 p.m. ET

deadline on Friday. Acquired from the

Orioles in July to provide a right-handed

bat against left-handed pitching, Hays

struggled to make an impact after joining

the team. Injuries, including a hamstring

strain and a serious kidney infection,

derailed his performance, and he never

regained the form that made him an All-

Star with Baltimore.

 

Hays, 29, batted just .256 with two home

runs and a .672 OPS in 22 games for the

Phillies. With an arbitration projection of

over $6 million, the Phillies felt his

potential role as a part-time player

wasn’t worth the investment. This move

signals the Phillies’ focus on upgrading

their outfield for 2025. While Nick

Castellanos and Brandon Marsh are

expected to be key pieces, Hays’

departure opens up the possibility of

adding a more consistent bat.

 

The Phillies have already turned their

attention to other free-agent outfielders

like Teoscar Hernández, Anthony

Santander, and Michael Conforto, all of

whom bring their own sets of strengths

and weaknesses. The team could also

explore trades, although that will require

giving up significant assets to find a

quality outfielder who fits their needs. As

the offseason progresses, the Phillies are

expected to be active in their pursuit of a

more productive, consistent presence in

the outfield.