Newly Acquired Philadelphia Phillies Outfielder Drops Bold World Series Take

Following his trade to the Philadelphia Phillies, outfielder Austin Hays did not hold back on his thoughts about his new team.

Jun 2, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays (21) runs towards first base during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Daniel Kucin Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

On Friday, the Philadelphia Phillies made their first move ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

After weeks of rumors connecting them to multiple different outfield trade targets, they went out and landed one by dealing for Baltimore Orioles outfielder Austin Hays in a surprising deal.

Hays, a 29-year-old role player for the Orioles, has played sparingly this season. However, when he has been on the field, he has made an impact.

In 63 games and 157 at-bats, he's hit for a slash line of .255/.316/.395 to go along with three home runs and 14 RBI.

Clearly, his role with Baltimore was nothing more than being a depth piece and a spot starter this year after being an All-Star in 2023.

That may not be the same with his new team. He could end up playing much more often.

Following his trade to Philadelphia, Hays has spoken out with a bold view of his new team. He believes that the Phillies have an even better chance of winning the World Series than he had with the Orioles.

"To go from one first-place team to another one is probably everything you could ask for as a player. There's not very many teams you could feel like you're upgrading in a way from where you were when your [former] team was in first place. But that's how I feel. I feel like I'm coming into a place where we have an even better chance of winning a World Series."

Dave Dombrowski, Philadelphia's President of Baseball Operations, also revealed that the Phillies have been trying to acquire Hays for a few years.

"We've liked Hays for a few years. We've actually tried to acquire him the last two [Trade] Deadlines and have been asked for much more than we've wanted to give. He's a good hitter. I know he hasn't played all that much this year. He's gotten squeezed out in playing time with the amount of good young outfielders that they have."

It will be interesting to see what kind of impact Hays can have on the team throughout the rest of the season. He's more than capable of being a high-impact bat.

While the move isn't a "flashy" one, it could end up paying huge dividends.

Philadelphia definitely got better with this move and they were able to bring in a player they have felt would improve them for a few years.