This story was excerpted from Jake Rill's Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
BALTIMORE -- James McCann delivered some tough news to his 6-year-old twin sons, Christian and Kane, on Friday afternoon.
The Orioles had traded Austin Hays to the Phillies. That meant he would be leaving for Philadelphia, along with his sons -- 3-year-old Levi and 2-year-old Hayden.
¡°I told them that Haysie got traded and their immediate comment was, ¡®Oh no, Levi and Hayden are going to be gone,¡¯¡± McCann said.
¡°Something a lot of people don¡¯t understand is those relationships that are built from a family standpoint. I mean, heck, we just spent the past two cities [Arlington and Miami] playing at the pool with his kids [and] my kids. All day long: Levi, Hayden, Christian, Kane, playing in the pool.¡±
The McCann boys won¡¯t be the only ones who will miss Hays and his family in Baltimore. So will many O¡¯s fans, who watched the 29-year-old outfielder develop from a 2016 third-round Draft pick to a key contributor after Mike Elias became general manager in November 2018.
Hays became a fixture in Baltimore¡¯s lineup shortly into Elias¡¯ tenure, which coincides with Brandon Hyde¡¯s time as manager. Hays played 516 games for the O¡¯s from 2020-24, emerging as a veteran leader in recent seasons.
But Hays¡¯ role diminished this year, when he turned into a right-handed platoon bat in left field, getting less playing time than youngsters Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad. The Orioles -- in great need of pitching help ahead of Tuesday¡¯s 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline -- decided to part with Hays to add right-hander Seranthony Dom¨ªnguez to their bullpen.
Dom¨ªnguez has electric stuff -- which he showcased while pitching a scoreless eighth inning Friday against San Diego -- and Baltimore is excited about adding him to its relief corps.
That didn¡¯t make it any easier to say goodbye to Hays.
¡°How he went about his business on a daily basis, I have so much respect for,¡± Hyde said. ¡°Nobody played harder. Nobody played more hurt. He was incredible in the clubhouse, unbelievable in the community, the charity work. ...
¡°He¡¯s a true pro. So to lose someone like that, that we¡¯re all close to, it¡¯s tough. He¡¯s a close friend for a lot of guys in that clubhouse, and we definitely wish him well.¡±
A similar sentiment was expressed by several of Hays¡¯ now-former teammates.
¡°He just taught me a whole lot -- a lot on defense and how to play this left field,¡± Cowser said. ¡°He¡¯s someone that we¡¯re truly going to miss in this clubhouse. He was a really good leader, and I¡¯m wishing him the best.¡±
Added infielder Jordan Westburg: ¡°I think he embodied what we try to be about as an organization and as a team -- just gritty, determined, head down, push through whatever¡¯s coming his way kind of ballplayer.¡±
There were plenty of memorable moments during Hays¡¯ time with the Orioles.
He became the sixth Baltimore player to hit for the cycle on June 22, 2022, when he completed the feat in a rain-shortened six-inning win over the Nationals at Camden Yards.
He was named an All-Star in 2023 after a tremendous first half, compiling a .314/.355/.498 slash line with 22 doubles, two triples, nine home runs and 36 RBIs in 78 games. He was a reserve for the AL team, but he started the Midsummer Classic in center field due to injuries to the Angels¡¯ Mike Trout and the Yankees¡¯ Aaron Judge.
Hyde¡¯s favorite Hays memory was getting to tell him he¡¯d be starting that All-Star Game.
¡°The first half he had last year, he really carried us,¡± Hyde said. ¡°To be the one to call him that day, to let him know that he is starting the All-Star Game, that was a special moment.¡±
Although Hays will be missed, the Orioles understand the business side of the game. They¡¯ll say farewell to their teammate, welcome new ones and continue to push toward a second consecutive AL East title and a deep run through the postseason.
¡°As a clubhouse, we have full trust in our front office, and what they ultimately decide to do is up to them,¡± Cowser said. ¡°We¡¯re just going to go out there and play our ball.¡±