Pirates fans won't be shocked at latest Ke'Bryan Hayes turn of events with Reds

Cincinnati Reds fans may be feeling a bit of unease right now, but Pittsburgh Pirates fans will tell you this is all too familiar. Ke’Bryan Hayes, once hailed as the future cornerstone of the Pirates and now finishing the season with the Reds, is already dealing with a setback. For all of his defensive reliability at third base and flashes of offensive growth, Hayes’ career has been defined by a frustrating pattern: when he’s on the field, he’s an asset. The problem has always been keeping him there.

After finally putting together his most durable season and logging a career-high 142 games, Hayes was unexpectedly scratched from the Reds’ lineup with another back issue. As reported by Charlie Goldsmith of Fox19, Manager Terry Francona said Hayes’ back “has been uncooperative,” and the club will have to keep a close eye on him.

Former Pirate Ke’Bryan Hayes gives Reds a taste of both his promise and pain

This doesn’t come as a shock. Pirates fans know better than anyone that while Hayes’ glove is one of the best in the game, his body has consistently betrayed him. He’s only topped 100 games in a season twice prior to 2025. And yet, just as it looked like he had finally broken through that barrier, his health once again became a talking point before he could notch game No. 143.

The list of injuries over his career paints a clear picture. In April 2021, he was sidelined with left wrist inflammation. Just a few months later in August, a right hand injury knocked him out again. By 2022, the issues had spread to his back, forcing him to miss time that summer. The following two seasons brought more of the same: lower back inflammation in June and July of 2023, then again in May and August of 2024. Most recently, he dealt with left side tightness during spring training this March, a reminder that durability has always been his toughest opponent.

For Hayes, though, resilience has never been in doubt. Each time he has returned, he’s reminded everyone why front offices are willing to bet on him. His glove at third base is elite by every metric, his arm strength is reliable, and (when healthy) he can be a steady presence in the lineup. That’s what attracted Cincinnati when they made the move to acquire him.

What stings for Pirates fans is that Hayes immediately showed some of the offensive potential they had long been waiting to resurface after the trade. In his first 42 games with the Reds, Hayes hit three home runs and slashed .254/.327/.381 — already surpassing the two homers he managed across 100 games in Pittsburgh before being dealt at the deadline.

For Pirates fans, this all feels like déjà vu. They watched Hayes flash Gold Glove brilliance, show hints of offensive growth, and then lose momentum to injuries time and again. Now it’s Cincinnati’s turn to hope his body can finally hold up.

The potential has never been the issue — it’s whether Hayes can stay on the field long enough to matter. Pirates fans know that pain all too well, and some may even take comfort in seeing a division rival discover the same hard truth.