A savvy Philadelphia Phillies front office rarely leaves room for a dedicated fan base to complain about a recent line of great decisions. However, if there was one issue fans would harp on with the current roster, it is the offensive concerns in the team's outfield.
After Nick Castellanos, there is some level of concern with every remaining option. This is especially the case with the platooned Brandon Marsh, who got off to an absolutely brutal start to the 2025 season.
One piece that would have unquestionably helped the team to start the season is current Cincinnati Reds and former Phillies outfielder Austin Hays. While an injury has kept Hays out of the lineup to start May, the outfielder was off to a sizzling start in the first weeks of the season. Hays is hitting .365 and has been a huge contributor to the Reds' start to the year.
The Phillies made a clear mistake moving on from outfielder Austin Hays
Hays was a deadline acquisition for the Phillies in the 2024 season, with the team opting not to retain the veteran. It wasn't as if the Phillies had superior options blocking a potential re-signing. Even if that was the case, Hays had a modest $5 million price tag, the team could have easily benched or moved on from if it wasn't a needed answer.
To be completely fair, this is done with the ability of looking at the team's outfield struggles and how pivotal Hays was for the Reds' offense in the month of April.
If Philadelphia plugged Hays back into the lineup for the first weeks of the season at this level of production, it is hard to imagine the team wouldn't have already caught the Mets for the National League East lead. Regardless, there is no reversing the regrettable decision, and the Phillies now find a need to pay close attention to this year's trade market.
Whether it is adding a slugger, considering platooning Harper back into the outfield, or finding an upgrade in center or right field, the team needs to make a move and correct their decision not to re-sign Hays.