When the Phillies kicked off their series against the Reds on Friday, a familiar figure stood across the diamond. He was no longer in pinstripes, but in red. In his first return to Citizens Bank Park, the left fielder delivered an RBI double in the Reds’ 9-6 win, an impact moment that brought everything full circle. Standing on the same field where he once imagined a future, the possibilities that had quietly slipped away suddenly felt closer than ever.

Yes, we are talking about Reds outfielder Austin Hays, who was a Phillie for the second half of last season. They acquired Hays from the Orioles around the trade deadline last year. But his season was cut short due to a hamstring strain and later a serious kidney infection. Unfortunately, it took a toll on his energy. Even though he came back, he was no longer the player the Phillies had traded for, and ultimately, they sent him off to the Reds. For Hays, who had pictured a long-term future with the Phillies, it was unexpected.

“That was the most difficult thing I’d gone through in my career,” Hays said about his struggle to return to form after being hospitalized. “Just a really, really challenging time for me. I was hoping [the Phillies] would have confidence in me taking the offseason and getting my body ready,” he told Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“I was hoping that I’d get to be back because I love the clubhouse over there. There’s a lot of really good players over there, guys with 10 years in the big leagues and multiple guys that are probably going to be Hall of Famers, so it would have been nice to play another year with them… I still feel like I’ve got a lot of really good years in me as an everyday player. With everything that happened last year, to be in the situation that I’m in, I’m happy with where I’m at. I feel like I was forced into free agency a year earlier than I thought I was going to be. But I feel like I made the right choice. We’ve got something special going on over here.” Hays continued.

After seven long years in Baltimore, the Phillies were meant to be his next long-term home. But with just 21 starts, it wasn’t enough to convince the team to commit beyond the season.

“We weren’t really sure if he was going to come back to the way he was. And he did, and Cincinnati did a nice job. They took a shot. He’s played well,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson to Phillies Nation after Hays’ return. Well, they can’t be blamed for that decision. He was far removed from his 2023 All-Star form, and recurring injuries weren’t something they could afford to overlook. In the end, the Phillies let him go, and as Thomson noted, the Reds now have a trusted arm holding down left field.

But ironically, the Phillies haven’t been able to fill the void Hays left. They’re still searching for a right-handed outfielder, and with the trade deadline looming, a warning is served warm for them.

The Phillies are in search of outfield answers

This season has been nothing short of iconic for the Phillies. They just won the series finale against the Reds 3-1 to take the series 2-1. They’re leading the NL East with a 53-37 record and cruising toward the playoffs. But if they’re serious about their postseason hopes, there are cracks to fix before the trade deadline. Of course, the bullpen will be their first priority. But according to Bob Nightengale, the outfield should also be at the top of their list.

“… They badly need a right-handed hitting outfielder at the trade deadline,” Nightengale wrote for USA Today. “Their left fielders are hitting .178 with a .278 slugging percentage against left-handed pitchers this year, with their center fielders hitting .235 with a .309 slugging percentage,” he added. He’s absolutely right. When they bid farewell to Hays, they relied on Max Kepler to start in left field. But he’s a left-hander, just like Brandon Marsh.

Along with Kepler, it’s been Marsh, Johan Rojas, and Otto Kemp in the outfield—and sticking with that group as they push toward the postseason isn’t exactly ideal. So, come the trade deadline, there’s a good chance Kepler could be on the move, as Marsh has performed better than Kepler so far. Whatever the team decides, one thing is clear: they need to act now.