Hays agreed to a one-year contract with the Padres on Sunday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
After the White Sox activated Hays from the 60-day injured list and designated him for assignment Wednesday, he ended up hitting the open market a few days later upon clearing waivers. The Padres will end up bringing Hays aboard on a low-cost deal with the hope that the 31-year-old can fill the short side of a platoon in the corner outfield, and he could even push into an everyday role if he gets hot at the plate to begin his time in the organization. Hays generated a lowly .576 OPS over 44 plate appearances with the White Sox this season but was productive during a recent 11-game rehab stint at Triple-A Charlotte, slashing .279/.289/.605.