The Philadelphia Phillies have finalized a trade with the Baltimore Orioles, agreeing to send reliever Seranthony Domínguez and outfielder Cristian Pache in exchange for outfielder Austin Hays, as announced by both teams on Friday afternoon.
Hays, who has been a fixture in Baltimore since 2019 wearing jersey No. 21, will switch to No. 9 upon joining Philadelphia. The No. 21 jersey had been worn by Phillies backup catcher Garrett Stubbs since 2022.
This season, Hays has appeared in 63 games for the Orioles, batting .255 with three home runs, 13 doubles, 14 RBI, a .711 OPS, and a 0.2 WAR. He missed time earlier in the season due to a left calf strain but returned to contribute to the Orioles’ lineup.
Over his tenure with Baltimore, spanning 557 games, Hays has maintained a .262 batting average with a .747 OPS and accumulated 9.4 WAR. He made his first All-Star appearance in 2023 and has been a consistent contributor in the outfield.
However, Hays’ playing time in Baltimore had been decreasing, with only two starts following the All-Star break, largely due to competition from rookies Heston Kjerstad and Colton Cowser. With just one year of team control remaining, the Orioles opted to move Hays to the Phillies.
Philadelphia, currently leading the MLB with a record of 64-38, has been active in reshaping its roster, recently releasing Whit Merrifield and David Dahl and now acquiring Hays to bolster their outfield depth alongside Brandon Marsh, Nick Castellanos, and Johan Rojas.
In return for Hays, the Orioles receive Seranthony Domínguez, a durable reliever who has been a consistent presence in the Phillies bullpen since his debut in 2018, and Cristian Pache, a center fielder who has played for multiple teams in recent years, including the Braves, Athletics, and Phillies.
Domínguez, 29, has a career ERA of 3.38 with 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings and brings playoff experience, having appeared in 15 postseason games. Pache, meanwhile, struggled to find consistency with the Phillies this year, batting .202 with a .557 OPS in 50 games.
With the MLB trade deadline looming, this trade marks another significant move as teams position themselves for postseason contention. The Orioles and Phillies, with their competitive records of 61-41 and 64-38 respectively, could potentially meet in the World Series, offering Hays and Domínguez a chance to face their former teams on a grand stage.
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