Austin

Hays

And cost Mason Miller a save. At least, we’re assuming Miller would have pitched with a three-run lead despite throwing 22 pitches last night. He, of course, did not pitch once the lead expanded to five with Hays’ homer in the bottom of the eighth. It was Hays’ second homer in 13 games during an injury-plagued season. He just signed with the Padres earlier in the day after being released by the White Sox on Friday.

Hays takes Gage Workman’s spot on the major league roster and should start against lefties as a left fielder and DH, leaving Jase Bowen without much of a role. Hays hit .233/.250/.326 in 44 plate appearances for the White Sox during his rare healthy moments this season. He’s a lifetime .282/.340/.477 hitter versus southpaws.

The 31-year-old outfielder was released by the White Sox on Friday and finds a new home before the weekend is through. He’ll serve as a lefty masher, working on the short side of a platoon for the Padres. Expect an official announcement late Sunday or early Monday.

Hays will shop his right-handed platoon bat services around the league. The 31-year-old has spent most of the year on the injured list with ankle and calf injuries. It seems like there’s always a market for this sort of player with how rare lefty-mashing outfielders are these days, so he’ll likely turn up elsewhere soon.

Hays has been on the injured list since May 2nd with a calf strain, and the White Sox have since added Randal Grichuk and Brenton Doyle to be right-handed outfielders. Hays will try to latch on elsewhere if his calf is 100 percent.

The 25-year-old has gone 6-for-35 in 22 games played for the White Sox this season. There is now an open spot on the White Sox active roster, but the belief is that one of Austin Hays (calf) or Everson Pereira (concussion) will be activated from the injured list before Monday’s game against the Yankees.

Hays is now technically off the 40-man roster, and that creates room for Braden Montgomery to join the club. Hays was pulled off his rehab assignment at the beginning of the month while recovering from his left calf strain, and won’t be eligible to rejoin Chicago until the early portion of July.

The oft-injured Hays has been on the IL since May 2 with a calf strain after already missing most of April with a hamstring strain. Fortunately, the White Sox outfield has been just fine without him, and when he returns, it should be as a platoon player against lefties, rather than as a full-timer.

Hays has gone 2-for-10 in his first three games at Triple-A, but both hits have been home runs. The 30-year-old has been sidelined since May 4th with a calf strain after also missing significant time with a hamstring strain. With Sam Antonacci playing well in left field, the White Sox will have a tough choice to make when Hays is ready to return. Likely one of Tristan Peters or Jarred Kelenic will head back to the minors, or the White Sox will choose to designate Randal Grichuk for assignment.

Hays has been snake-bitten by injuries as he heads to the shelf for the second time already this season. The 30-year-old outfielder missed time last month with a hamstring strain. No word yet on the severity of the calf issue, which is likely to keep him out for a couple weeks, even in a best-case scenario.