Phillies outfielder has the most to prove in final weeks of the season

The Philadelphia Phillies brought in three major league players ahead of July’s trade deadline. Carlos Estévez was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels, Tanner Banks was brought in from the Chicago White Sox and Austin Hays came over from the Baltimore Orioles.

Hays was an All-Star a year ago, but he lost playing time with the Orioles earlier this year because of injuries and a crowded outfield. The Phillies took a chance on him to help shore up the left field position, hoping he would return to his All-Star form.

Phillies outfielder Austin Hays has the most to prove in final weeks of the season

The Phillies have a commanding lead in the NL East, and they’re tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in Major League Baseball with 22 games left to play in the regular season. One player who might have the most to prove in the final weeks of the season to determine his future in Philadelphia is Hays.

Hays made his Phillies debut on July 27 against the Cleveland Guardians. He went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in that matchup. The 29-year-old is slashing .254/.275/.373 with one home run, five doubles and five RBI in 19 games since joining the Phillies.

The Phillies acquired Hays to provide Rob Thomson with a corner outfield bat who could hit well against left-handed pitching. Hays is slashing .350/.402/.538 with a .940 OPS in 80 at-bats against left-handed pitching this season.

Hays landed on the 10-day IL on Sept. 5 with a kidney infection. This is his second time on the IL since being traded to the Phillies with the first one being a hamstring injury early last month. Not only will Hays have to prove himself on the field in the final stretch of the season, but he'll also have to prove he can stay healthy.

Phillies’ outfield getting crowded after being one of the team’s weaknesses during the first half of the season

Brandon Marsh is starting to heat up over the last two weeks after a long slump. Weston Wilson is taking full advantage of his opportunities in the big leagues and has been one of the Phillies’ hottest hitters. Johan Rojas continues to be a mainstay in center field thanks to his elite defense, and Nick Castellanos is under contract through the 2026 season.

The Phillies’ No. 3 prospect Justin Crawford, per MLB Pipeline, has had an incredible season between Jersey Shore and Reading in 2024. The 20-year-old has been tearing up Double-A since his promotion earlier this year and could make his way up to Triple-A or even the majors sometime next year.

The Phillies have control over Hays through the 2025 season, but these final weeks of the season are important for the outfielder to prove his worth in the organization.