Former Phillies outfielder is an intriguing option for the Cleveland Guardians to consider

Like it or not, the Cleveland Guardians' outfield is an incomplete unit. There is only one full-time outfielder in the group in Steven Kwan, with the rest being part-time platoon options. Having two-thirds of their outfield be non-full-timers is far from ideal and needs to be corrected before next season. One potential option for the Guardians to consider is now-former Philadelphia Philles outfielder Austin Hays.

Hays was recently non-tendered by Philadelphia following his brief stint with the club that did not go particuarly well. The 29-year-old slashed .256/.275/.397 with five doubles and two home runs in 22 games with the Phillies. This was pretty similar to his performance with the Balitmore Orioles earlier in the season before being traded to Philadelphia, as Hays own a .255/.316/.395 slash line with 14 home runs and 13 doubles. The only difference here is the drop-off in power production once landing in Philadelphia, which was more than enough for the Phillies to end Hay's time with the ballclub.

Even though last year's campaign was not great, and it sounds like a solid reason for the Guardians to consider other options, Hays will more than likely fall into Cleveland's financial comfort zone. It would not be surprising for Hays to take a one-year deal in an attempt to build up his value via a redemption season, a scenario that the Guardians would gladly welcome. Cleveland needs to find ways to upgrade their roster without breaking the bank, and this would be the perfect way for them to do so if everything works out.

Taking a flier on Hays is betting that last year is not truly indicative of who he is as a ballplayer and that the three years preceded are. Hays slashed .261/.313/.439 while averaging 32 doubles and 18 home runs per season from 2021-2023. If Hays is able to look anything remotely close to his average during that span, it could be a big-time difference-maker for the Guardians and their chances in 2025.