What Paul Skenes is to the Pirates now… that was Ke’Bryan Hayes going into the 2020s.
He was the new cornerstone of the franchise, but after nearly six years in Pittsburgh, Hayes’ bat became a liability on a team without much offense.
What isn’t disputable is how good he is in the field.
A Gold Glove third baseman, the 28-year-old is one of the best defenders in all of the MLB.
But a batting average of .236 with only two home runs and 36 RBI over 100 games made meant the return for him wasn’t going to be as rich as some fans hoped.
The Pirates got a top 10 infield prospect in the Reds organization and a veteran relief pitcher.
Hayes released a statement thanking the Pirates and the fans, saying, “I wish the Pittsburgh Pirates nothing but the best and continued success in the future.”
Pirates insider John Perrotto tells 93.7 The Fan’s Joe Starkey that Hayes just seemed kind of “miserable” recently in Pittsburgh.
Starkey called the move addition by subtraction and the fact that the Red picked up all of Hayes’ contract is a win for the Pirates.
Ultimately, Hayes’ time in Pittsburgh is a story of what could’ve been if he lived up to his hitting potential.