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Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes has been doing some of his best hitting of the season of late, including a season-high three-hit performance with a pair of doubles in Sunday's 12-1 victory over the New York Mets.
Over his last 15 games, Hayes is slashing .327/.351/.436 with 18 hits and nine RBI. His slash line over the last seven games is even more impressive at .429/.467/.536, with 12 hits and seven RBI in that span.
The timing of Hayes' offensive breakout could not be better, and not just because the Pirates' offense consistently ranks among the worst in the league and can use the hits wherever they can get them. Hayes' recent hot streak may actually have gone a long way in boosting his trade value – and potentially served as his audition for his new team at this year's trade deadline.
Ke’Bryan Hayes’ bat is waking up for the Pirates, and the timing couldn’t be better
Hayes, a Gold Glove-winning third baseman typically known for his stellar defensive play, has emerged as a desirable trade deadline piece for multiple contending teams looking for reinforcements as they gear up for what they hope will be lengthy postseason runs.
Francys Romero reported on Saturday that several teams were "closely monitoring" Hayes as a potential trade piece, calling him one of the players "most likely to be traded" ahead of the deadline. Romero added that the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs were among the teams competing to land his services.
Hayes is currently on a team-friendly contract that shouldn't be difficult to move, especially if he continues to hit. He signed an eight-year, $70 million contract extension on April 7, 2022, making $7 million each season from 2025-27, $8 million in both 2028 and 2029 and a $12 million club option in 2030.
Hayes appears to be benefiting from the revamped swing he adopted over the offseason to help him with his chronic back issues that limited him to just 96 games in 2024. If he continues to stay hot at the plate, the offers the Pirates get for him at the trade deadline may be too good to pass up.
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