The Chicago White Sox received outfield help on Saturday, signing veteran Austin Hays.<\/p>\n
A source confirmed the one-year contract to the Tribune. The move is pending a physical. Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network reported the deal is for $6 million, plus incentives<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hays, 30, has a .262\/.313\/.435 slash line with 142 doubles, 83 home runs and 312 RBIs in 682 career games during eight major-league seasons with the Baltimore Orioles (2017, 2019-24), Philadelphia Phillies (2024) and Cincinnati Reds (2025).<\/p>\n He had 15 home runs and 64 RBIs while slashing .266\/.315\/.453 in 103 games last season with the Reds. The right-handed hitting Hays slashed .319\/.400\/.549 against left-handed pitching, going 29-for-91.<\/p>\n Hays set career highs with 22 home runs and 71 RBIs in 2021 with the Orioles. He earned All-Star honors in 2023, finishing the season with a career-high 36 doubles to go along with 16 home runs, 67 RBIs and a .275\/.325\/.444 slash line.<\/p>\n He is a career .282 hitter against lefties (207-for-733) and has a .253 career average against right-handed pitchers (424-for-1,675).<\/p>\n ESPN\u2019s Jesse Rogers initially reported the signing<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hays has 406 career starts in left field, 109 in right field and 53 in center field, along with 42 as a designated hitter.<\/p>\n The Sox will have plenty of new options for their outfield. Left fielder Andrew Benintendi returns, along with outfielders Derek Hill and Brooks Baldwin. They traded for outfielders Everson Pereira<\/a>\u00a0and Tristan Peters in separate deals this offseason with the Tampa Bay Rays.<\/p>\n They acquired Luisangel Acu\u00f1a on Jan. 20 as part of the trade that sent center fielder Luis Robert Jr.<\/a> to the New York Mets. Acu\u00f1a will be one of the team\u2019s options for center field<\/a>.<\/p>\n