The Philadelphia Phillies placed outfielder Austin Hays (kidney) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Sept. 2) with a kidney infection on Thursday and recalled outfielder Cal Stevenson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move. This explains why Hays had been losing playing time of late in Philly's outfield. Brandon Marsh is in left field on Thursday, with Johan Rojas in center field, but Weston Wilson should also see more playing time moving forward when the team faces a left-handed pitcher. Given the nature of Hays' injury, it wouldn't be a surprise if he's required to miss beyond 10 days, putting his availability for the rest of the regular season in question. The 29-year-old hasn't really moved the fantasy needle all year with the Phils and Orioles, slashing .254/.305/.388 with a below-average .693 OPS, four home runs and 19 RBI in 224 at-bats.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Austin Hays finds himself on the bench once again in Wednesday's series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. It's the second game in a row that Hays will start on the bench, with Weston Wilson starting in right field and batting eighth against Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis, who has been nearly unhittable in his last two starts. The 29-year-old Hays has become a part-time player in the outfield for the Phillies since being acquired at the trade deadline from the Baltimore Orioles. In his 19 games for the Phils, he's gone 17-for-67 (.254) with a homer, five doubles, five RBI and 16 strikeouts. Wilson has been much better for the team in 55 at-bats in 2024, slashing .345/.383/.618 with a 1.002 OPS but only three homers and seven RBI.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Austin Hays will start on the bench for Friday's showdown against the division-rival Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. With Hays on the bench, Brandon Marsh will occupy left field and will hit seventh, while Johan Rojas draws into the lineup in center field and will bat ninth against Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez. Marsh is hitting .125 in eight career at-bats against Lopez, while Rojas hasn't recorded a hit against Lopez in his five at-bats. Since returning from a hamstring strain on Aug. 23, Hays has gone 5-for-21 (.238) with two doubles, an RBI and five strikeouts in six games. The Phils acquired him from the Baltimore Orioles to platoon on left field with Marsh, and so far in his 16 games with the NL East leaders, he's hit a mediocre .254 (15-for-59) with a homer, four doubles and five RBI in 61 plate appearances.

The Philadelphia Phillies reinstated outfielder Austin Hays (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and optioned outfielder Cal Stevenson to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move. Hays will immediately step into the starting lineup on Friday against the Kansas City Royals and veteran right-hander Michael Wacha at Kauffman Stadium, playing left field and batting ninth. The 29-year-old required just two minor-league rehab games and will now return to regular duties in left field for the Phils. Hays was a first-time All-Star in 2023 with the Baltimore Orioles, but he got off to a slow start this year and was having trouble finding regular playing time in a crowded outfield. He'll have more fantasy upside the rest of the way in Philly and was hitting .263 (10-for-38) with a homer and four RBI in his first 10 games with the team before landing on the shelf.

The Philadelphia Phillies placed outfielder Austin Hays (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 8) with a left-hamstring strain on Friday and recalled outfielder Cal Stevenson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move. Hays injured his leg on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers and will now miss the next 10 days. The 29-year-old right-handed hitter was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline to give the Phils a right-handed platoon bat in left field. Until he's able to return, Johan Rojas should draw into the lineup more in center field, with Brandon Marsh occupying left. In his first 10 games in Philadelphia, Hays had gone 10-for-38 (.263) with a home run, two doubles, four RBI, two steals and five runs in 39 plate appearances. The move to Philly was good news for his fantasy value in deeper leagues.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Austin Hays (hamstring) is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series opener in Arizona against the hosting Diamondbacks and left-hander Jordan Montgomery. It's not a surprise that Hays isn't playing in this one after he was forced to leave Wednesday night's win over the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers due to left-hamstring tightness. However, it's unclear if the 29-year-old's hammy injury is serious enough to eventually send him to the 10-day injured list. For now, consider him day-to-day and check back to see if he's available for Friday's contest in the desert. Weston Wilson is starting in left field on Thursday and is hitting eighth against Montgomery. Wilson provides very little DFS upside at the bottom of the batting order and will be playing in only his 23rd big-league game after debuting in 2023.

The Philadelphia Phillies are saying that outfielder Austin Hays (hamstring) left Wednesday night's game at Dodger Stadium early against the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers with left-hamstring tightness. Hays pulled up lame running the bases in the top of the third inning and was removed going into the bottom of the frame. Before departing, the 29-year-old former Baltimore Oriole went hitless in his only at-bat. Brandon Marsh moved from center field to left field, while Johan Rojas entered the contest to play center for the Phils. Since joining the Phillies at last week's trade deadline, Hays has gone 10-for-38 with a homer, four RBI and two stolen bases in the strong side of a platoon in left field. He'll likely be unavailable for Thursday's series opener against the hosting Arizona Diamondbacks and could require a trip to the IL, depending on the severity of his injury. If Hays needs at least 10 days off, Rojas would benefit from more playing time in the outfield.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Austin Hays will make his team debut on Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians and veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco. The Phils acquired Hays from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday in exchange for reliever Seranthony Dominguez and outfielder Cristian Pache. The 29-year-old became expendable due to the logjam the Orioles have in their outfielder combined with the rise of several top prospects who have become regulars, particularly outfielders Heston Kjerstad and Colton Cowser, along with 2024 All-Star Anthony Santander. Hays has been solid in hitting .255 with three homers, a .711 OPS, and a 102 wRC+ across 63 appearances on the season. Still, he has been a low-end fantasy contributor in the 2024 campaign.

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.

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.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays is taking the day off on Friday with the team facing the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hays has gone 2-for-18 on the year with six strikeouts in 21 plate appearances over his first five games and has gone hitless in his last 10 at-bats, so it's probably a good time for him to take a mental break. Meanwhile, rookie Colton Cowser has four hits in his first eight plate appearances this year, including two doubles and an RBI, and he will make another start in left field and will bat eighth on Friday against Pirates rookie right-hander Jared Jones. Cowser, 24, has above-average power and speed and is an interesting stash candidate in deep-mixed leagues, especially if Hays continues to struggle offensively.UPDATE: Hays is out sick on Friday.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays was hit by a pitch in Saturday's 3-2 Grapefruit League win over the Blue Jays. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that Hays is fine and is considered day-to-day. If Hays is able to go on Sunday, Hyde stated that he'd try to get him in the lineup, otherwise Hays would have to take some live batting practice once the team gets back in Baltimore before the start of the regular season. Hays was a big part of the O's success in 2023, earning an All-Star appearance after slashing .314/.355/.498 and wRC+ of 136 in the first half last season. The 28-year-old came back down to earth in the second half though with a wRC+ of 84. He's hitting just .154 (4-for-26) in the spring, so hopefully the former third-round draft pick can get off to another hot start in the regular season as the Orioles have promising prospects waiting in the wings in the event he doesn't.