With AL-leading average and now fifth in OPS, Austin Hays on the All-Star talk

He might be the American League’s leading hitter for yet another day today with his .323 batting average. And that is six points ahead of Bo Bichette of Toronto, next at .317. But the Orioles' Austin Hays is not even ready to ponder being in contention for a batting title.

“We are not even at the All-Star break yet. So, we have a long way to go before I can say that,” he told reporters today at Oriole Park, echoing comments he made during the recent road trip.

Hays' most recent batting tear – he had five straight multi-hit games, going 12-for-21 – was slowed Wednesday when he took an 0-for-3 at Tampa Bay.

But his 67-game numbers for the year are still pretty special. His batting line shows a .323/.362/.520/.882 to go with 21 doubles, two triples, eight homers and 31 RBIs. A player that hit .256 and .250 the past two years is now well, well above that.

His OPS+ was 107 in 2021 and 104 in 2022, slightly above league average. Now it is 144, or 44 percent above the league.

While he did not advance to the next phase of voting for the All-Star Game, set for July 11 in Seattle, he still could get selected for the AL team. What about hearing his name mentioned in such talk?

“I mean, it’s just a bonus,” he said. “The All-Star break and the All-Star team is a bonus just to having a good year. It is not going to change how I feel about how I’ve played so far or what this team is doing, how many games we’re winning. We do have somebody on the list who is getting a lot of talk (catcher Adley Rutschman) and is looking like he has a good chance to start. I’m glad that somebody is getting a lot of recognition for it. That is good by the fans in getting one of us on there.”

Hays' recent hitting tear shows a .469 average (15-for-32) his past eight games. In 26 games since May 21 he is batting .356/.391/.574/.965 with 15 extra-base hits to include 11 doubles, a triple, three homers and 16 RBIs.

In the latest AL stats, in addition to being No. 1 in batting average, Hays ranks tied for fourth in doubles, fourth in slugging, fifth in OPS and seventh in hits.

So yeah, the All-Star talk is not out of line at all.

“Would be a huge honor. It is an accolade that is next to your name forever," Hays said. "That is something I’ll be able to tell my kids one day if that were something to happen. It would mean a lot to me, but we’ll see what happens.”

Added manager Brandon Hyde: “He is on the All-Star team for me. He has had an incredible first half, offensively, defensively. Just what he brings every day for us. Everyday player and just absolutely producing in every facet. Love the way he is using the whole field. He’s got power, he’s got speed. Gotten some big RBI hits for us, and playing left field defense here is not easy, and he’s done it the best way you possibly can.

“A lot of us kind of knew that, if this guy got a chance to play healthy for a while, he could put up some big numbers and be a really good player. He has done that this first half.”

Hays admits he is going through one of the best stretches of baseball of his pro career.

“I think this is the most consistent I’ve been for a stretch of time since, probably, my 2017 season," he said. "Spent most of that year in the minors, came up to the big leagues a little that year. But I was pretty consistent with just my health, my approach and my mechanics from start to finish that year, playing at three different levels. But definitely in the big leagues, this is the most consistent stretch I’ve had of good mechanics and good health and just getting good results too."

In O's roster news this afternoon, the Orioles traded right-hander pitcher Spenser Watkins to the Houston Astros for cash considerations. Watkins had been designated for assignment by the Orioles and Houston has assigned him to Triple-A Sugar Land.