The Chicago White Sox received outfield help on Saturday, signing veteran Austin Hays.
A source confirmed the one-year contract to the Tribune. The move is pending a physical. Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network reported the deal is for $6 million, plus incentives.
Hays, 30, has a .262/.313/.435 slash line with 142 doubles, 83 home runs and 312 RBIs in 682 career games during eight major-league seasons with the Baltimore Orioles (2017, 2019-24), Philadelphia Phillies (2024) and Cincinnati Reds (2025).
He had 15 home runs and 64 RBIs while slashing .266/.315/.453 in 103 games last season with the Reds. The right-handed hitting Hays slashed .319/.400/.549 against left-handed pitching, going 29-for-91.
Hays set career highs with 22 home runs and 71 RBIs in 2021 with the Orioles. He earned All-Star honors in 2023, finishing the season with a career-high 36 doubles to go along with 16 home runs, 67 RBIs and a .275/.325/.444 slash line.
He is a career .282 hitter against lefties (207-for-733) and has a .253 career average against right-handed pitchers (424-for-1,675).
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers initially reported the signing.
Hays has 406 career starts in left field, 109 in right field and 53 in center field, along with 42 as a designated hitter.
The Sox will have plenty of new options for their outfield. Left fielder Andrew Benintendi returns, along with outfielders Derek Hill and Brooks Baldwin. They traded for outfielders Everson Pereira and Tristan Peters in separate deals this offseason with the Tampa Bay Rays.
They acquired Luisangel Acuña on Jan. 20 as part of the trade that sent center fielder Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets. Acuña will be one of the team’s options for center field.
The Sox also enter spring training with Jarred Kelenic and Dustin Harris among the outfielders signed to minor-league deals with big-league camp invitations.
