CLEVELAND -- It's looking less likely that the Reds will get one of their best bats back for the start of a series against baseball's best team on Friday. Left fielder Austin Hays is still bothered by soreness in his bruised left foot, and he went for an MRI on Wednesday.
Final results are still pending on the test, but early indications showed there was no fracture.
“We just wanted to be respectful to him. He’s trying so hard to get out there, and he still feels it," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "And it showed he has a pretty deep bone bruise that I think we knew. So we’ll kind of watch him over the weekend and see how he’s doing. He’s still probably day-to-day ish.”
Hays went on the 10-day injured list for the third time this season on May 30 after he fouled a ball off his foot in a game at Kansas City two days earlier. He also missed time on the IL for a left calf strain and left hamstring strain.
All totaled, Hays has missed 38 games this season.
“It’s just frustrating. I was hoping I would have turned the corner by now," Hays said. "I was hoping I would be feeling better than I am. It’s good that we didn’t find a fracture the first go-around. It’s been fine hitting and throwing. The baseball activity stuff has gone really well.
“But just being able to run and being able to be an outfielder and play my position, I’m just not there yet. I’m still feeling pain [from] changing directions and running.”
Signed to a one-year, $5 million contract as a free agent in the offseason, Hays has been a big boost when in the Reds' lineup. He is batting .303 with a .901 OPS, six home runs and 25 RBIs in 31 games.
Hays was put through what was hoped to have been a final test of his foot by running the bases and going through his whole pregame routine.
“The straight-line stuff has been better than the change in direction and having to round the bases and really twist my foot and turn my body," he said. "I’m still having a lot of pain going through that motion. I just still don’t feel capable of being able to go out there and play defense and be able to run the bases.”
Hays rested completely on Wednesday, and the Reds have a day off Thursday before opening a series on Friday at Comerica Park vs. the Tigers -- who own the best record in baseball.
“We’ll see where I am at on Friday," Hays said.