Recently Acquired Outfielder Leaves Game with Apparent Injury

The Philadelphia Phillies are locked in battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers, looking to win their second game in a row for the first time in the second half of the season. After leaving the game with an apparent injury, the Phillies will now have to go for the win without left fielder Austin Hays .

Hays would lead off in the top of the third, for his first plate appearance of the night. He would battle Dodgers starter Gavin Stone to a 2-2 count before hitting the fifth pitch of the at bat on the ground to third baseman Enrique Hernadnez for an easy five-to-three putout.

While running out the groundball, Hays would come up limping halfway up the line. Manager Rob Thomson would immediately get the team trainer, and the three men would go down in the clubhouse to evaluate the injury.

As the Phillies took the field for the bottom of the third, Johan Rojas would be entering the game to play center field, moving Brandon Marsh to left field. Austin Hays' night would be over.

It would later be reported by Alex Coffey on Twitter that the Phillies announced Hays left the game with left hamstring tightness.

Hays has batted .263/.282/.395 with one home run and four RBI in 39 plate appearances since joining the Phillies ahead of the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline. His bat was heating up in this series, entering Wednesday going 4-for-8 over the first two games.

Hays' injury is very remeniscent of Bryce Harper 's from June 27th. A 10-day would not be a surprise, but would leave the Phillies down a man offensively in their outfield.