**Phillies Trade Seranthony Domínguez and Cristian Pache for Former All-Star**
The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired outfielder Austin Hays from the Baltimore Orioles, trading right-handed pitcher Seranthony Domínguez and outfielder Cristian Pache in return.
Hays, previously wearing No. 21 in Baltimore, will switch to No. 9 in Philadelphia, as No. 21 is taken by Phillies’ backup catcher Garrett Stubbs. This season, Hays is batting .255 with three home runs, 13 doubles, 14 RBI, a .711 OPS, and a 0.2 WAR, playing in 63 of the Orioles’ 102 games. He was sidelined from April 22 to May 13 with a left calf strain.
The 29-year-old has been a consistent player for Baltimore, ranking fourth on the team with 516 games since 2020 and making his first All-Star appearance in 2023. Over 557 games with the Orioles, Hays posted a .262 batting average, .747 OPS, and 9.4 WAR. From 2021 to 2023, he averaged 18 home runs, 66 RBI, and a 2.7 WAR per season.
However, Hays’ role in Baltimore was diminishing, with just two starts in the first six games after the All-Star break. With one year of team control left, he was being overshadowed by rookies Heston Kjerstad and Colton Cowser.
The Phillies recently released utility man Whit Merrifield and outfielder David Dahl, alongside trading Pache, creating space for Hays to join Brandon Marsh, Nick Castellanos, and Johan Rojas in the outfield.
