9:46 AM: Hays will earn $5MM in salary in 2026, and there is a $1MM buyout on the same option in 2027, writes Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Another $375K is available to Hays in incentive bonuses based on plate appearances.
8:42 AM: The White Sox have agreed to a deal with an outfielder Austin HaysESPN’s Jesse Rogers reports. The one-year contract will pay Hays $6MM, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, and the contract will become official following a physical. Hays is repped by MAS+ Agency.
Earlier today, Heyman reported that Hays “he said he will make a decision this weekend” about his next destination. Heyman listed the White Sox, Cubs, Padres, Tigers, and Rangers as teams that have shown some level of interest in Hays at some point in the offseason. These five clubs were new to the market for Hays, as previous reports this winter linked the Royals, Reds, Mets, Yankels-year-old and 3-year-old Cardinals as well and 3 Cardinals. The Athletic’s Zack Meisel also wrote that the Rangers have “drained” from Hays’ services.
Playing time was a priority for Hays, as Meisel wrote that the outfielder was looking for “a situation where he can play every day.” That didn’t come to Cleveland as the guards didn’t want to block their young up-and-comers, but Hays is about to arrive with another AL Central team with more at-bats. Hays figures to step into at least regular duty in right field, and may also get time in his usual left field position depending on how the White Sox approach. Andrew BenintendiIt’s time to play. Brooks Baldwin, Derek Hill, Tristan Peters, Everson Pereiraagain Jarred Kelenic are among the names in Chicago’s outfield mix, plus Luisangel Acuna you may find more time in the middle ground.
Hays has held his own defensively over 483 MLB innings as a center fielder, though he hasn’t played a position since 2023. With both glovework and health in mind, Hays is probably best suited for the outfield, and some DH at-bats are likely a consideration for a player who has made six different trips to the lineup over the past two injured seasons. Four of those six IL stints were due to left calf and hamstring soreness, and Hays also missed several weeks last season with a left foot contusion.
It was about one year ago that the Reds signed Hays to a one-year, $5MM guarantee, which broke down to $4MM in salary and a $1MM buyout of a $12MM co-op option for the 2026 season. Like all similar options, Hays was cut after the 2025 campaign, though he had a respectable .266/.315/.453 slash line and 15 homers over 416 plate appearances in Cincinnati.
On a team that struggled to generate consistent offense, Hays’ 105 wRC+ was the third-highest of any Reds player with at least 111 plate trips. Although Hays was again hampered by injuries, it was a step up from the uncertainty of the kidney disease that plagued him for the 2024 campaign, and he put up his numbers perfectly after the deadline trade to the Phillies.
As of Opening Day 2021, Hays has a 106 wRC+ over 2348 PA, and played an everyday role with the Orioles from 2021-23. Despite the decent production, Hays hasn’t walked much or made much contact, and his strikeout rates have skyrocketed over the past three seasons. Hays’ success in an everyday role will depend on how well he can hit righties, as his splits have made him look like more of a lefty-masher in recent years.
The Reds held on to Hays last summer both because they needed him moving forward and perhaps because his injuries hurt his trade market, but it seems likely that the Sox could acquire Hays at the upcoming deadline. Much of the focus on the rebuilding future is the White Sox, and many teams could find interest in trading for a veteran bat with a 160 wRC+ against left-handed pitching over the past two seasons.
The signing of Hays is the latest exciting move for a White Sox team that plans to be very competitive in 2026, even if a full run to the playoffs is at least a year away. Trading Luis Robert Jr. the Mets freed up $20MM in salary cap space, and the Sox reinvested that money in a two-year, $20MM deal. Seranthony Dominguez to be near Chicago.
With Dominguez only getting $8MM of that money in 2026, the White Sox are now able to sign Hays and still have an additional $6MM to spend on the $20MM hole Robert left in the team’s budget. A pitching addition may be more likely than another position player addition given Chicago’s needs in the rotation and bullpen.
Inset photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images
