2 players from the 2024 Phillies who won't be missed
Austin Hays
The Phillies acquired Austin Hays from the Orioles for Seranthony Domínguez and Pache at last year's trade deadline — a trade Philadelphia didn't benefit from.
The Phillies viewed Hays as an upgrade in the outfield over Merrifield, Dahl and Pache. Thomson wanted the former Oriole to start regularly for the team. However, the outfielder missed time in August with a hamstring strain. During September, he missed more games with a kidney infection.
Hays was active for 22 contests with Philly and finished with a .256/.275/.397 line with an OPS of .672. He played in two of the four games in the NLDS and had three strikeouts in four at-bats. The outfielder wasn't as effective as anticipated at the plate. His two stints on the IL prevented him from getting into a groove.
However, the Phillies had no interest in retaining Hays for the 2025 season. They non-tendered him during the offseason, allowing him to become a free agent. He's motivated to have a better season with the Cincinnati Reds this year. The Phillies signed Max Kepler to a one-year deal to be their everyday left fielder, hoping he can rebound from a season in which he dealt with multiple injuries.
Gregory Soto
In January 2023, the Phillies made a multi-player trade with the Detroit Tigers. Philadelphia received Soto and utility player Kody Clemens. In exchange, they gave up outfielder Matt Vierling, infielder Nick Maton and catcher Donny Sands. In Soto, they looked to have found someone who could compete for the closer's job.
Soto saved 18 out of 19 opportunities with the Tigers in 2021. He followed that season up by converting a career-high 30 saves in 33 chances the next year. During his first season with Philly, he appeared in 69 contests, the most games he has appeared in thus far.
The native of Haina, Dominican Republican, finished with a 4.62 ERA, 65 strikeouts and allowed 26 earned runs. Manager Rob Thomson didn't use Soto often in save situations. The reliever had mixed results when used in this role and only had three saves in six opportunities.
He struggled in the 2023 playoffs, compiling a 6.00 ERA with three strikeouts and two walks. The left-hander surrendered two earned runs in five contests. He didn't do much better last year in 43 contests with the Phillies.
The reliever compiled a 4.08 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP in 35 1/3 innings. Soto allowed 16 earned runs, 20 walks and had 44 strikeouts. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski decided the left-hander wasn't the best fit for the club by the end of July and made a change.
The Phillies acquired two young pitchers, Seth Johnson and Moisés Chace, in the trade deadline deal in exchange for Soto. Chace is one prospect to keep an eye on this season.