Pittsburgh Pirates: Ke’Bryan Hayes Beginning His Road Back

The Pittsburgh Pirates could be getting their budding superstar back sooner rather than later

Pittsburgh Pirates fans can finally start to breathe now. Not only did the fans get to watch the Pirates defeat the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night to improve to 4-2 on their current homestead, but Jake Crouse of pirates.com reported good news on third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes.

The budding Pirate superstar appears to be close to returning. Hayes hit a home run in his first at-bat of the season to pick up where he left off at last season, but then injured his hand on a swing in the 1st inning of the second game of the season. According to Crouse, Hayes is now griping and swinging a bat which could indicate he may return soon.

With news like this, I can’t help but feel excited. The excitement is somewhat reserved because I want to see the rehab process taken as cautiously as possible due to it being one of the most electric young players today. In the article, Crouse quotes Pirate director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk as saying:

“Definitely a step in the right direction. Definitely progress; he’s also taking ground balls on the field, running bases, and doing defensive work. So all in all, very encouraging.”

When he went down, I think everyone in Pittsburgh all took a collective gasp, and rightfully so, hand/wrist injuries for someone with the talent of Hayes is always scary. When you hear a wrist injury, you always think of a hamate injury, and with a hamate injury, it could potentially hinder a career for life, and as a Pirate fan, that is the last thing I need in my life.

Tomczyk hasn’t given us a timetable to work with, and Crouse put it as a “wait and see” approach. In a rebuilding year, I’m very okay with waiting until Hayes is fully ready to return. We aren’t going to make a playoff push this year, and I think waiting until it is 110% is the best policy. I do wonder, however, if we see Hayes show up in the Milwaukee series, even if it’s in a pinch hitter role to get him acclimated back.

I, for one, do hope to see Hayes back this year, and if I’m truthful at the time of the injury, I thought his season was done. Hearing this news is a very encouraging sign, and hopefully, we get to see Hayes inserted into a hot lineup.