Austin Hays's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that outfielder Austin Hays (calf) still has lingering effects from his left-calf injury, which is why he didn't start on Wednesday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays and was pinch-run for in the walk-off win. The 28-year-old didn't start on Wednesday, but he came off the bench as a pinch-hitter and hit a double before he was pulled for a pinch-runner. Hays just came off the injured list on Monday but apparently isn't healthy enough to serve as anything more than a pinch-hitter off the bench. Even if he were fully healthy after his stay on the IL, Hays would most likely be a bench player for the Orioles anyway given his slow start and with rookie Colton Cowser impressing offensively. Hays entered Wednesday's contest hitting .111 (5-for-45) on the year with no homers, two RBI and four runs scored.

The Baltimore Orioles reinstated outfielder Austin Hays (calf) from the 10-day injured list on Monday and designated outfielder Ryan McKenna for assignment in a corresponding move. Despite being activated from the IL, Hays was not included in the team's starting lineup on Monday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. The 28-year-old is back in the big leagues, but he's probably going to struggle to find consistent playing time as long as rookie Colton Cowser continues to play well and Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander stay healthy. He's also going to need to pick up the pace offensively if he wants to pick up more playing time. Before going on the IL with his calf injury on April 22, Hays was hitting just .111/.200/.111 in his first 50 plate appearances of the season. Because he's mostly only going to see action against left-handed pitching, Hays has become more of an AL-only asset in fantasy formats.

The Baltimore Orioles announced on Monday that outfielder Austin Hays (calf) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Bowie on Tuesday. Hays is working his way back from a left-calf strain that has sidelined him since April 20. Before his injury, the 28-year-old had already started losing playing time in Baltimore's outfield with rookie Colton Cowser impressing early on. But since then, Cowser's bat has cooled off, so it's possible that Hays will get another shot to make some noise for the O's when he's activated from the 10-day injured list, possibly as early as later this week. Unless Hays flips the script and sends Cowser to the bench, he'll mostly be a bench option in AL-only leagues. Before his injury, he had gone 5-for-45 (.111) with no homers and two RBI in 19 games.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays (calf) said his left calf feels much better and he has run the past few days. He is running the bases and doing some hitting on Thursday, but he's unsure if he'll need to go on a brief minor-league rehab assignment. Not only is the 28-year-old on the 10-day injured list with a left-calf strain, but before his injury, he had fallen out of favor in Baltimore's outfield due to the impressive start for rookie outfielder Colton Cowser. Since his placement on the IL, the O's also called up top outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad, although Kjerstad could be sent back to the minors once Hays is ready to return. Hays is currently hitting just .111 (5-for-45) with no homers and two RBI, and he'll almost certainly return to a bench role when he's eventually reinstated.

The Baltimore Orioles placed outfielder Austin Hays (calf) on the 10-day injured list on Monday, retroactive to Sunday. After leaving Saturday's win over the Kansas City Royals, Hays needs to miss some additional time with a strained left calf. The 28-year-old left fielder was already trending down due to a feeble .111/.200/.111 triple-slash line with just two RBI over 45 at-bats (19 games) as well as the emergence of former top prospect Colton Cowser for the O's, so fantasy managers shouldn't feel inclined to stash Hays while he's sidelined. Cowser's playing time in left field becomes even more solidified in the absence of Hays. Hitting .373 (19-for-51) with five home runs, six doubles, nine runs scored, and three stolen bases to this point, Cowser is a player with five-category upside in Baltimore's potent lineup for the foreseeable future.