The Pirates are trading one of their longest-tenured players and one of the best defenders in the game, as third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes is going to the Reds, sources told MLB.com. The teams have not confirmed the deal.
The Pirates will receive shortstop Sammy Stafura (the Reds’ No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline) and left-hander Taylor Rogers in exchange for Hayes, per source.
Hayes, 28, won the Gold Glove at the hot corner in 2023 and is once again graded as one of the best fielders in baseball. His +11 fielding run value is tops among third basemen, according to Baseball Savant, and his 91 defensive runs saved since his debut in 2020 are the most in baseball in that time.
The bat, however, has been light this year, as Hayes has slashed .236/.279/.290 with two home runs, 36 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.
Recurring back injuries have been attributed to some of his offensive struggles over his career, and while Hayes has avoided the injured list, he has made swing modifications (most notably a two-handed finish) that hasn’t translated to a higher OPS thus far.
Hayes was seen as a franchise cornerstone early in his Pirates career, inking what was once the largest contract in franchise history on Opening Day 2022 (it was since surpassed by Bryan Reynolds in 2023 and Mitch Keller in 2024). Hayes still has $36 million remaining on that contract from 2026-2029, with $6 million being a buyout of a 2030 club option that’s valued at $12 million.
