The Phillies cut ties with left fielder Austin Hays, agree to terms with José Ruiz, Garrett Stubbs
The Phillies avoided arbitration with both Ruiz and Stubbs. Ruiz, 30, pitched into a key role in the Phillies' bullpen and will make $1.225 million in 2025, according to a source.
Four months after bringing in Austin Hays at the trade deadline, the Phillies are parting ways with the left fielder.
The team did not tender a contract to Hays, 29, on Friday. One year removed from an All-Star season, Hays will become a free agent. According to MLB Trade Rumors, Hays was projected to make roughly $6.4 million in arbitration.
The Phillies acquired Hays in July from the Orioles in exchange for reliever Seranthony Domínguez and outfielder Cristian Pache, and was envisioned as the Phillies’ everyday left fielder. But after dealing with a hamstring strain, kidney infection, and a back injury, Hays only played 22 games after the trade. The righty slashed .256/.275/.397 with two home runs over that span, and went hitless in four postseason at-bats.
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“We did not see a good version of Austin Hays,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said earlier this month at the general managers’ meetings. “ … We’ve seen Austin Hays play plenty. We liked him a great deal. We were absolutely thrilled that we got him, but we never saw the guy that we have seen in the past.”
Dombrowski also said at the GM meetings that the outfield is the “obvious way” to improve the Phillies lineup this offseason.
The Phillies also agreed to terms on one-year deals with reliever José Ruiz and catcher Garrett Stubbs, avoiding arbitration with both players. Ruiz will make $1.225 million in 2025, a source told The Inquirer.
Ruiz, 30, was a nonroster invitee to spring training last season and began the year in triple-A Lehigh Valley, but pitched his way into a key role in the Phillies’ bullpen. The right-hander posted a 3.71 ERA in 52 appearances in 2024.
Stubbs, 31, appeared in a career-high 54 regular season games in 2024. He hit .207 with 11 RBIs.
The Phillies tendered contracts to the remainder of their arbitration-eligible players by Friday’s deadline: Alec Bohm, Edmundo Sosa, Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh, and Ranger Suárez.
Inquirer staff writer Scott Lauber contributed to this article.