Reds are walking into the Ke'Bryan Hayes trap Pirates fans warned about

Much of the discourse surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason centered around the team's need for a third baseman. With full squad workouts underway in Bradenton, Fla., that vacancy is yet to be filled.

The Pirates' need for a third baseman is a fairly recent development. In fact, the hot corner was one position the Bucs seemed to have locked down long-term — that is, until last season's trade deadline, when Ke'Bryan Hayes was dealt to the division-rival Reds.

Trading Hayes in-division brought an anticlimactic conclusion to what turned out to be a very disappointing tenure in Pittsburgh. Hayes had played just 120 MLB games at a near 6-WAR pace when he inked an eight-year, $70 million extension in 2022 to lock him up through 2029. But he hadn't even made it halfway through the duration of that contract before the Pirates opted to cut bait.

Injuries were ultimately the overarching theme of Hayes' time with the Pirates. He was placed on the injured list seven times as a Pirate, the final five of which were due to back injuries. And even when his back didn't keep him on the shelf, it often impacted him when he attempted to play through it.

Hayes was always an elite defender—he's already a two-time Gold Glove Award winner—but his back problems stripped him of his ability to do damage at the plate. After posting a .772 OPS before agreeing to his extension, that figure was down to .676 for his career by the time the Pirates traded him. It's gotten to the point where his bat is virtually unplayable—over the last two seasons, Hayes is the only player to record at least 900 plate appearances and an OPS under .600.

There had been enough instances of flashy potential (Hayes' 2020 debut and his second half in 2023) for fans to believe there was still a chance he could turn things around. But alas, the back injuries proved too much, and Pirates fans and the team alike lost faith.

Ke'Bryan Hayes has Reds fans walking down a path Pirates fans are plenty familiar with

Since he was traded during the season last year, this is Hayes' first spring training with Cincinnati. So it's fair to see why Reds fans might be excited to see the condition of their third baseman as he reports to camp.

Cincinnati has only seen half a season of Hayes, so there is still a reasonable amount of hope among fans that a full spring training and some small tweaks here and there will be enough for his bat to show up in 2026.

The problem is that Pirates fans just watched this show. After a career-worst year at the plate in 2024, Hayes spent the ensuing offseason embarking on a new conditioning program and altering his swing in a way that would reduce tension and stress in his back. He came to spring training raving about how much progress he'd made and how he hadn't felt this good in years.

That hard work did not bear fruit, and he was the exact same hitter in 2025. Hayes went from a guy the Pirates were depending on as a key long-term piece to a player they dumped to a division rival with over $38 million still remaining on his contract.

The Reds made the postseason in 2025 and have similar aspirations in 2026. Hayes projects to be a regular in their lineup, and Reds fans are hopeful that improved health will enable him to rebound at the plate. But if history tells us anything, it's not wise to put all your eggs in that basket.