The Phillies have added the right-handed outfield bat they sought.
Austin Hays, a 2023 American League All-Star starter, was acquired Friday from the Baltimore Orioles.
The Phillies gave up light-hitting, utility outfielder Cristian Pache and reliever Seranthony Dominguez.
A right-handed-hitting outfielder was among the Phillies’ most apparent needs with the trade deadline approaching. Hays, 29, was a 2016 third-round pick out of Jacksonville University in Florida by the Orioles.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Hays is a player the Phillies have coveted for several years.
"We've liked Hays for a few years. I've actually tried to acquire him the last two trading deadlines and had been asked for much more than we wanted to give," Dombrowski said. "He's a good hitter. He hasn't played all that much this year. He's gotten squeezed out we feel of a little bit of playing time with all the good young outfielders they've got.''
How has Hays hit?
He’s batting .255 this year with .316 on-base and .395 slugging percentages. All are slightly down from his last few seasons, when Hays was playing more before some of the Orioles’ considerable young talent reached the majors.
But Hays has still hit lefties hard, which is what made him attractive to the Phillies for a potential platoon with left-handed-hitting Brandon Marsh.
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This year, he has a .328/.394/.500 slash line for an .894 OPS. Against right-handers, those numbers are .204/.262/.323.
Lifetime, Hays is a .262 hitter with .314 on-base and .433 slugging percentages with 66 homers. He hit a career-best 22 in 2021 and 16 each of the last two years but has just three this season. He has batted .272/.328/.463 in his career against lefties.
"We think he can hit left and right-handed pitching," Dombrowski said. "He's done that in the past."
What is his contract status?
Hays is on a one-year $6.3-million contract and is arbitration eligible next year and cannot become a free agent until 2026.
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What did Phillies give up?
Dominguez has been part of the Phillies’ bullpen since 2018, pitching in 230 games and logging a 3.55 ERA. He did miss the 2020 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Once viewed as a potential stopper, Dominguez has become less reliable the last two seasons and presently has a career-worst 4.75 ERA in 38 games.
"He gave us a lot of really good innings," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Friday. "This year it's kind of been hit and miss . . . He may just need a little reset, a new setting for him.
"I think this is gonna end up being a real good trade for both clubs."
Pache was acquired from Oakland in the spring of 2023 in a trade for former Saint Mark’s High and University of Delaware pitcher Billy Sullivan. He has batted .202 in 50 games this year.
The Phillies also activated reliever Michael Rucker, whom they acquired in a February trade with the Cubs.
Rucker, 30, had been on a rehab assignment and pitched 12 games at Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He logged a 3.21 ERA and struck out 21 with just three walks in 14 innings.
Rucker has a career 4.96 ERA, 120 strikeouts and 50 walks in 123⅓ innings in 96 games with the Cubs the last three years. He was a 2016 11th-round draft pick by the Cubs out of BYU.
Big weekend series for Phils
The Phillies open a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night against the Cleveland Guardians in what could be a World Series preview.
Cleveland enters the night with a 61-41 record, tied with Baltimore for the best in the American League. The Phillies are a best-in-MLB 64-38.
Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Phillies trade 2 players with Orioles to land 2023 AL All-Star Austin Hays
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