Austin Hays

Nick Madrigal, Austin Hays and Patrick Sandoval were among the players cut loose on Friday

The Phillies didn't see Hays as a starter and weren't going to pay him $6 million-plus to serve on the short side of a platoon. The 29-year-old will probably land a starting gig elsewhere. He's a career .261/.313/.432 hitter, and he plays quality defense in left field.

Friday was the deadline for teams to decide whether to offer contracts to their arbitration-eligible players and the Phillies opted against doing so with Austin Hays.

The Phillies have informed outfielder Austin Hays that they will not tender him a contract before tonight’s deadline, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. He’ll immediately become a free agent without having to first clear waivers. He’d been projected for a $6.4MM salary by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. Hays, 29, spent his entire…

Hays was an All-Star in 2023, but the 29-year-old struggled and dealt with a kidney infection after being traded to the Phillies. The right-handed hitter will receive medical scrutiny, but should see interest on the market for a team looking for a potential starter in either outfield corner.