Austin Hays was smiling and excited inside the Reds’ clubhouse on Tuesday afternoon. For the first time during the 2025 regular season, Hays was in Cincinnati's starting lineup after missing the first 16 games with a left calf strain.

Austin Hays returns to his roots tonight as the Reds go on their bi-annual trip to play the Baltimore Orioles in Camden Yards. In three games since his return to the Reds, he has four hits in 13 at-bats with a pair of two-run home runs. Now, Hays is going back to his roots in Baltimore.

Cincinnati's Scott Barlow (1-0) was the winning pitcher after Hays' three-run shot took starter Nick Lodolo (2-1, no-decision) off the hook for the loss. Former Reds star and Mariners starter Luis Castillo took the loss for his 4 1/3 innings of work as he allowed seven hits and six runs.