Pirates send 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes to Reds for reliever Taylor Rogers, a prospect and cash
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates traded Gold Glove-winning third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday for veteran reliever Taylor Rogers, shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura and cash.
The swap gives the Reds an elite defender at the hot corner with a manageable contract. The 28-year-old Hayes, a Gold Glove winner in 2023, has four-plus years left on the extension he signed with Pittsburgh in 2022. He will make $7 million in 2026 and 2027 and $8 million in 2028 and 2029, with a club option for $12 million in 2030.
The son of former major leaguer Charlie Hayes and a first-round draft pick by the Pirates in 2015, Hayes struggled to find consistency at the plate following his splashy debut during the final month of the COVID-19-shortened season in 2020. He hit .376 with five homers in 24 games immediately after being called up, numbers that he didn't come close to matching while playing a full 162-game schedule.
Hayes hit .236 with two home runs and 36 RBIs this season for the Pirates, who sit in last place in the NL Central thanks largely to an offense that ranks near the bottom or at the bottom in the majors in most significant statistical categories.
The Pirates have several internal options to replace Hayes in the short-term, including Jared Triolo, who won a Gold Glove as a utility infielder in 2024.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Pittsburgh's everyday shortstop this season, moved over to third for the Pirates' series finale against San Francisco on Thursday.
Rogers remains an effective left-handed option out of the bullpen at 34. The 10-year veteran, an All-Star with Minnesota in 2021, is 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 40 appearances with the Reds this season.
Stafura, 20, was a second-round pick by Cincinnati in 2023. He is hitting .262 with four home runs and 48 RBIs in 88 games with Class A Daytona this season.
When the Pirates made a long-term investment in Hayes three years ago, both sides viewed Hayes as one of the cornerstones the franchise could rebuild around as it tried to hit reset under general manager Ben Cherington.
Instead, Pittsburgh largely has spent the decade running in place. The high-water mark for Hayes came in 2023, when he had career highs in home runs (15), RBIs (61), doubles (31) and triples (7), while becoming one of the best defenders at his position.
Back injuries limited him to 96 games last season and while Hayes has been a fixture in the lineup this season, he's been unable to be a difference-maker at the plate.
The move gives the Pirates some flexibility to find a third baseman with more offensive upside in the offseason, though it's uncertain how the small-market club would address the position. Pittsburgh almost exclusively has used free agency to offer modest one-year contracts to veteran players in hopes of catching lightning in a bottle.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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