Sad News: The Phillies top player is out for 8 weeks in training with foot injury
The Philadelphia Phillies’ game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night didn’t get off to a great start in the first two innings. The Phillies’ situation at Dodger Stadium worsened after they trailed 4-1 after two innings when left fielder Austin Hays was forced to exit the game in the top of the third inning due to what seemed to be a leg injury.
Hays took a few steps as he raced out of the box on a ground ball, then slowed down and walked leisurely to first base. He left the field right away and talked with Phillies manager Rob Thomson as he made his way through the tunnel and dugout.
Austin Hays’s leg injury causes him to depart the game, which puts the Phillies’ outfield in disarray.
The Phillies declared that Hays left the game due to “left hamstring tightness,” per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. In the bottom of the third inning, Brandon Marsh moved to left field and Johan Rojas entered the game to play center field.
After being acquired by the Phillies before the most recent trade deadline, the team’s newest outfield player was still getting used to his new surroundings at the plate. Hays is taking over the starting role in left field and is hitting.270/.289/.405, with two stolen bases and a home run in nine games with the Phillies as of Wednesday. His line for the past six games is.320/.346/.520.
The Phillies have found some continuity in their outfield configuration since acquiring Hays from the Baltimore Orioles. Veteran Nick Castellanos continues to hold down right, and Marsh has been nearly daily reps in center with Hays patrolling left.
The Phillies will now have to employ a less effective offensive outfield alignment until Hays returns to action because he may miss time.
This season, Hays is not the only Phillie to struggle with a hamstring problem. Trea Turner, Marsh, and Bryce Harper were all on the IL for different amounts of time dealing with the same problem. Due to his injuries, Turner lost six weeks of work, Marsh missed two weeks, and Harper was sidelined for little more time than the required ten days.
