Austin Hays exited Monday’s game with a right hamstring strain, leaving the White Sox thin in the outfield as they await further evaluation.
Chicago White Sox outfielder Austin Hays faced his former team on Monday night as the Sox squared off against the Baltimore Orioles, looking to extend their winning streak to four games.
Hays was drafted by Baltimore in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft and played there from 2017 to 2024 before a midseason trade sent him to Philadelphia. The best years of his career came in an Orioles uniform, including a 2023 All-Star selection. And who doesn’t love a little revenge game?
Hays got off to a strong start, grounding a hard-hit single in the bottom of the second. But in the top of the fourth inning, things took a turn.
With two outs and a runner on first, Orioles outfielder Tyler O’Neill lofted a high fly ball down the left-field line. As Hays moved to field it, he came up hopping on one foot, clearly tweaking something in his lower body. The ball dropped fair, allowing a run to score all the way from first, and Hays was forced to exit the game.
Derek Hill replaced Hays in left field.
That run ended up being the difference in a 2-1 loss for the White Sox, but the bigger concern is Hays’ health moving forward.
The outfield is already a position of need. Everson Pereira is on the IL, while Luisangel Acuña, Andrew Benintendi, Tristan Peters, and Derek Hill have all struggled at the plate. Brooks Baldwin is also on the injured list with no clear timeline for a return.
It hasn’t been the best start imaginable for Hays. He’s hitting .219 with a .586 OPS through his first nine games, but he’s been productive in key spots, tallying six RBIs—just one shy of the team lead. He was also riding a four-game hitting streak after his base hit Monday night and had started to look more comfortable at the plate.
Now, the White Sox may be without one of their more impactful hitters and veteran bats. That's far from ideal for a team that has already struggled to generate offense early in the season.
One of the reasons I was such a strong advocate for the White Sox to sign Hays was the way he raises the floor of the lineup. Even in down years, he’s roughly a league-average bat, and he consistently crushes left-handed pitching. Without him, a thin White Sox outfield is suddenly down two starting-caliber players, with no obvious replacement ready to step in.
As of Tuesday morning, Hays has not yet been placed on the injured list, as the White Sox continue to gather more information.
The team initially called it a "right hamstring strain" after removing him from the game. Hays will undergo further evaluation, and if an IL stint is required, the hope is that it’s only a minor setback.