Reds About to Polish and Deploy an Offensive Weapon

Last spring, Hays did not feel 100 percent at the Baltimore spring camp in Sarasota.

“I was fine for the first three weeks of camp (with the Baltimore Orioles), last year,” Hays said. “Then I got really sick and lost 10 pounds. I knew something was wrong at that point but after that sickness when I came back I thought I was better. I didn’t have any indication following that sickness. I thought I was better.”

The mystery illness turned out to be a kidney infection. The ailment wasn’t discovered until after the Orioles dealt Hayes to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Hayes hit a hot .310 in Goodyear with three doubles, two triples, three home runs, and drove in 14 runs in 16 Cactus League games. He had three extra-base hits in one game, a Joey Votto-like performance.

“He’s been fantastic,” Francona stressed this in camp. “We’re thrilled he’s here. When he first came here he felt he had a lot to prove. When he squares it up, the ball comes off his bat a little differently. Like, it’s pretty loud and he’s a great kid. I think he can help us a bunch.”

The plan was that Hays would start opening day in left field with Spencer Steer landing on the injured list.

The strained calf changed the plan. The Reds were trying to find at-bats for Steer, who is currently under a throwing program to remedy a strained right shoulder that he played with most of 2024.

With Hays’ injury, the team decided to keep Steer active and get at-bats as a designated hitter.

“It is a very low-grade strain,” said Francona after Hays went through a scan. “There’s a chance he only misses six days but when we know, we’ll do it. He tried to play through it last spring. We want to nip it in the bud.

The rehab assignment indicates the bud has been nipped. The offensively starved who suffered three consecutive 1-0 losses last week could use a potent offensive weapon and they are hoping Hays is it.