Pirates' recent infield strategy hints at 2025 Ke'Bryan Hayes backup plan

When the Pittsburgh Pirates called up prospect Nick Yorke to make his MLB debut Monday, they had to do some shuffling in the infield.

Yorke's primary position is second base, so starting second baseman Nick Gonzales got the night off in the rookie's debut. Isiah Kiner-Falefa stayed at shortstop, while Jared Triolo manned third base in place of the injured Ke'Bryan Hayes.

In Yorke's second game, Gonzales returned to the lineup, but shifted over to shortstop. Triolo remained at third, with Kiner-Falefa coming in late in the game to replace him when he took over first base for Rowdy Tellez.

Both combinations worked well and showcased the amount of depth the Pirates have in the infield. They also have Billy Cook, who can play both corner infield positions, and Connor Joe, who can play first. In other words, they have plenty of options, and they are trying all of them – almost as if they were trying to formulate a contingency plan for next season, perhaps?

Ke'Bryan Hayes' timeline to return to Pirates is still to be determined

Hayes has been sidelined since Aug. 19 and has been working to strengthen his core for a potential return in 2024. He is expected to start playing catch and resuming "light" baseball activity soon, but his return this season appears to be in jeopardy, given that the Pirates only have 10 games remaining. The team has not officially announced whether Hayes will play again in 2024, but it seems highly unlikely.

Two separate stints on the injured list have limited Hayes to just 96 games this season. His Gold Glove-winning defense from last season has still been strong, but his offense has been substandard at best – likely a result of his ongoing back issues affecting his swing. Hayes slashed .233/.283/.290 this year with only 13 extra-base hits, including four home runs. 

Even if the Pirates wanted to explore trading Hayes in the offseason, that seems next to impossible now. Given his poor health and the fact that he is in the midst of a career-worst season, Hayes' trade value is likely to be at its lowest. Still, if his back issues continue to be a problem – and it looks like they will be – the Pirates look like they already have a backup plan in place. Versatility matters.

More Pirates content from Rum Bunter