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UPDATE: Hayes is not in Friday's spring training lineup. We'll need to wait longer for his return.
When Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes was sidelined from Grapefruit League play last week with "left side tightness," fans assumed the worst.
Hayes' history of chronic back problems has landed him on the injured list multiple times and led to continued struggles at the plate over the past two seasons, and fans were understandably concerned that this latest injury could be yet another cause for concern. However, even though Hayes hasn't played in a spring training game since March 5, the 27-year-old assured Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the tightness in his side is in no way related to the lingering disc-related issues in his back.
“Honestly, I think it was just a dehydrated, didn’t-stretch-enough type of day,” Hayes told Mackey. “We just wanted to be on the cautious side since we still have a good amount of games left. I don’t think it’s anything too serious.”
Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk followed with an update on Thursday, telling Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Hayes was "back to full baseball activities" and that the Pirates "envision him being available for game activity in the coming days as well."
Hayes is likely to return to Grapefruit League game action Friday, when the Pirates host the Detroit Tigers at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.
Pirates Injury Update: Ke’Bryan Hayes expected to make return
It makes sense that the Pirates would be extra cautious with Hayes in spring training. The club is banking on a rebound season from him in 2025, which requires him to stay healthy.
In addition to keeping him off the field with two separate stints on the injured list last season, Hayes' back injuries negatively impacted his performance at the plate He finished the 2024 campaign with a slash line of .233/.283/.290, nine doubles, four homers and 25 RBI – all the worst numbers of his career so far.
Hayes has been following a structured recovery program to work on his back issues, and time will tell whether his offensive numbers will creep up as a result. His Gold Glove-winning season in 2023 is proof of his defensive ability at third base; if he can stay healthy and put it all together this season, he could be a major X-factor for the Pirates in 2025.
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