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

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays launched two home runs in Monday's win over the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, with the blasts being his first of the season. After crushing his first home run of the year off Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman to left field, making it 5-1 for the Orioles in the fourth inning, Hays skied his second long ball of the game to right field to make it 6-2 Baltimore in the seventh frame. The 28-year-old left fielder has missed a significant period of time due to injury this season, but he's now hitting .316 with Monday's two round-trippers, seven RBI and five runs scored in 14 games since coming off the injured list on May 15. Baltimore's outfield is as crowded as they come, as Hays is on the weak side of a platoon with the lefty-hitting Colton Cowser, but he could push for more playing time with continued hot hitting and Cedric Mullins scuffling at the plate.

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.