Austin Hays DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

According to Charles Goldsmith of Cincinnati Magazine, manager Terry Francona hopes Reds outfielder Austin Hays (calf) will be back on Tuesday and that they'll evaluate him after he plays on Monday. Hays has played three games in Triple-A Louisville thus far after tweaking his calf in spring training. In those three games, he's had 10 plate appearances and has gone 2-for-9 with one home run and two RBI. Last year, Hays spent time with the Baltimore Orioles and the Philadelphia Phillies and slashed .255/.303/.396 with five home runs. It will be interesting to see where he fits into the Reds lineup because when he was healthy in 2022 and 2023, Hays hit 32 home runs in those two seasons combined. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should consider taking a flyer on him to see how it plays out.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Austin Hays (calf) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Thursday. Hays has been sidelined through the first two weeks of the regular season due to a low-grade calf strain. Fantasy managers should monitor his status with Louisville as he could be cleared for action as soon as next week. Hays inked a one-year, $5 million contract with the Reds earlier in the winter. He enjoyed a productive spring training, and several reports projected him to open the season as the team's leadoff hitter. Last summer, the 29-year-old logged 85 games split between the Orioles and the Phillies and held a cumulative .255/.303/.396 slash line with five round-trippers. When healthy, he is worth a look in five outfielder leagues, especially if he bats in the top half of the lineup.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Austin Hays (calf) was placed on the 10-day injured list with a calf injury. Hays was held out of the starting lineup on Tuesday due to this injury and will now miss the start of the regular season. Hays signed a one-year contract with the Reds during the offseason. Last summer, the 29-year-old posted a .255/.303/.396 slash line split between time with the Baltimore Orioles and the Philadelphia Phillies. He generated a modest .234 xBA with a low 3.5 percent walk rate. When healthy, Hays was expected to be the primary left fielder and was even projected to bat in the cleanup spot. However, while sidelined fantasy managers should expect Blake Dunn or Gavin Lux to have an increased role in left field.