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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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Austin Hays didn't wait long to make an impression on his new teammates.
Called on as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of the San Diego Padres' game against the Houston Astros on Sunday, Aug. 9, Hays hit a pinch-hit two run home run in a 7-2 victory.
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Hays signed a major league contract with the Padres earlier in the day Sunday — only two days after he was released by the Chicago White Sox.
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"It was a good feeling," Hays said. "I let out a lot of excitement there on that swing."
Hays came off the bench at Petco Park, and figured he would slot in against a left-handed pitcher in a late-game situation before Jase Bowen was lifted from the game.
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In 2025, Hays' last full season at the MLB level, he slashed .249/.286/.422 against right-handed pitchers and .319/.400/.550 against left-handers for the Cincinnati Reds.
If the Padres can coax a .950 OPS out of Hays against southpaws again, the signing will have been a success. So far, so good.
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A veteran of nine MLB seasons, Hays was a center fielder in his early years with the Baltimore Orioles. He has exclusively played left and right field the last three seasons at the major-league level.
The White Sox signed Jays as a free agent in February, but a hamstring injury in April and a calf strain in May set him back. He showed some pop in the minor leagues, hitting six home runs in 20 games with Triple-A Charlotte while rehabbing the injuries.
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"I finished my rehab assignment and I was ready to rejoin the team in Chicago," Hays said after the game in San Diego. "Unfortunately they felt like there wasn't a spot there for me."
Hays is heading from one playoff hunt to another. While the White Sox are leading the American League Central by 3.5 games, the Padres are 62-57, one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks (63-56) for the third and final National League Wild Card berth.
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