Padres Sign Outfielder Austin Hays to Bolster Bench
Outfielder Austin Hays has signed a major league contract with the San Diego Padres, joining the club ahead of their series finale against the Houston Astros, according to sports.yahoo.com. To accommodate the 31-year-old right-handed hitter on the roster, utility man Gage Workman was optioned to Triple-A El Paso.
Roster Shuffling and Contract Details in San Diego
Hays enters San Diego with a brief 12-game major league appearance record for the 2026 season. According to sports.yahoo.com reporting, he originally signed a $6 million, one-year deal with the Chicago White Sox on February 4 before spending the majority of the year on the injured list recovering from leg injuries. The White Sox activated him from the injured list on August 5, designated him for assignment, and subsequently released him on August 7.
During his limited time with Chicago, Hays logged 43 at-bats, hitting .233 with a .576 OPS, one home run, and seven RBIs. Across his nine-season career—which includes stints with the Baltimore Orioles from 2017 to 2024, the Cincinnati Reds, and the White Sox—Hays has established distinct splits against pitchers. According to sports.yahoo.com, he holds a career batting average of .319 against left-handers compared to .255 against right-handers.
Addressing the Left-Handed Pitching Weakness
The Padres have wrestled with a season-long offensive vulnerability against left-handed pitching, carrying a .688 OPS against lefties heading into the late-season stretch. While management reportedly sought a left-handed outfielder at the trade deadline without success, acquiring Hays brings a proven weapon against southpaws to the bench.
Hays projects primarily as a reserve outfielder and pinch-hitter specializing against left-handed pitching. According to sports.yahoo.com records, Workman was acquired by San Diego at the trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers alongside Casey Mize in exchange for minor league pitchers Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf. Workman recorded a .175 average and a .558 OPS across 57 at-bats in his two partial major league seasons.
Speaking to the media prior to the Houston Astros finale, Hays expressed his motivation to reach the postseason for the fourth year.