BREAKING: Another Reds outfielder placed on 10-day injured list with left calf strain
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Austin Hays was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a left calf strain.
The move, retroactive to March 24, comes just a day before the Reds’ season opener at home against the San Francisco Giants.
Manager Terry Francona described the strain as minor but noted Hays’ injury history, emphasizing the importance of addressing it early. “He had a scan today, and it’s a very low-grade strain,” Francona said. “But last year, he tried to play through it and ended up in trouble. We need to take care of it now. He’s not sure when it happened.”
While Hays could potentially miss only six games, Francona prefers to be cautious.
Hays signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Reds on January 30.
In 2023, he missed time from April 21 to May 13 with a similar calf strain, then dealt with a left hamstring injury in August and a kidney infection in September, sidelining him for three weeks.
A 2023 AL All-Star with the Orioles, Hays returned for the postseason with the Phillies but struggled, going hitless with three strikeouts in four at-bats during the NLDS against the Mets.
Last season, he played 85 games between Baltimore and Philadelphia, hitting .255 with five home runs and 20 RBIs.