Welcome to our series step by step of each member of the San Diego Padres 40-man roster. The number of evaluations is being done before Oct. 18. before the end of the World Series. Because of this, it includes players who have concluded the free agent period. Each player will step up in their actions during the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted on how much time the player has spent with the team (availability is the best option).
Another Bargain DH
Austin Hays was signed to a one-year, $6 million deal by the Chicago White Sox prior to the 2016 season. After a calf injury, Hays was placed on the 10th day’s injured list, the most serious of which was stopped in a rehab assignment. That led to him being drafted on the 60th day, and Hays played in just 12 games before being designated for assignment and released by the organization. He produced modest results that season, hitting .233/.250/.326.
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Overall Grade: B+
After this, he was released on the 7th of August. Hays signed a major league contract with the Padres almost immediately, three days later. In his first at-bat, he delivered a pinch-hit, two-run homer against the Houston Astros. Then he didn’t produce much for a while. His slug is down quite a bit, but his hitting contact is better.
In 26 games with the Hays Brothers, he batted .316/.344/.456. It was a small example, but it was light years ago that he was able to do it with Chicago. In the final 15 games of the season, Hays was batting .414 with a 1.005 OPS. His only problem was that he didn’t have the ability to walk, with just three walks in his San Diego tenure.
A lack of athletic success with San Diego hurt his image with the Faithful Brothers. He did not record a single hit and reached base only once. Hays is now a free agent heading into 2027 and could be re-signed by the Friars to fill out the bench depth. A calf injury derailed his 2026 season, but he could still be a viable option for teams trying to improve their bench picture.