CINCINNATI – For players traded from a team not contending, being moved to a contender around the Trade Deadline is usually a welcomed jolt of fresh air. New Reds third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes felt it once he walked into his new clubhouse for the first time on Thursday.
Hayes, 28, was acquired by Cincinnati from the National League Central rival Pirates on Wednesday for reliever Taylor Rogers and shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura. Pittsburgh is in last place while the Reds are in third place in the division and in the thick of a race for the NL Wild Card.
“I’m excited for a new chapter," Hayes said. “That’s why we play this game, to play in the playoffs and ultimately win a World Series. If you’re not playing to win, why are you playing? It’s been a little bit of a whirlwind for me because I’ve been with one organization my whole career. Since I’ve been here, everyone has been very welcoming to me.”
2025 MLB Trade Deadline
• What we learned from a wild Trade Deadline
• 6 winners of the Trade Deadline
• Carlos Correa traded back to Astros in Deadline stunner
• SD gets Mason Miller, JP Sears for No. 3 overall prospect, 3 more
• Yanks overhaul 'pen with Bednar, Doval and Bird trades
• Mets get CF help with Cedric Mullins trade
• These 5 clubs loaded up on prospects at the Deadline
• Ranking the 25 top prospects traded ahead of the Deadline
• Trade tracker
• Tracking prospects dealt
Hayes, who was a first-round pick of the Pirates in 2015 and debuted in 2020, has never experienced postseason play in the Major Leagues. The Reds have not been to the playoffs since 2020, and not after a full season since 2013.
“He’s getting a lot thrown at him," manager Terry Francona said. "I just told him, ‘Hey man, just do your best to help us win and we’ll try not to overwhelm you the first day.’”
Francona had Hayes in Cincinnati's starting lineup on Thursday, batting ninth.
A 2023 Gold Glove winner, Hayes is viewed as one of the game's best defensive third basemen. Entering his first game with the Reds vs. the Braves, his +11 fielding run value this season is tops among third basemen, according to Baseball Savant, and his 91 defensive runs saved since his debut in 2020 are the most in baseball over that stretch.
The Reds are banking on Hayes' skills for run prevention to help their pitchers. But they also believe that he can recapture some offense that's been missing from his resume in recent years.
“I’ve already talked with the hitting guys a little bit," Hayes said. "I think for me, because I was in one organization with the same coaches for quite some time, just being in a new ballpark, being in a new clubhouse and being around new eyes that are watching me, they’ve already said they’ve looked at some stuff for me that they have for me. I think more than anything, I always want to get better."
Hayes' best offensive season was also in 2023, when he batted .271 with a .762 OPS, 15 home runs and 61 RBIs – all career highs over a full season.
In 196 games for the Pirates over the last two seasons, however, Hayes batted .234 with a .571 OPS and six homers.
"Yeah, the last two years or so, I haven’t hit how I know I can hit," he said. "I am very open to what they have for me. Not only them but guys in the clubhouse, what they see -- all that type of stuff. I’m hoping I can get to swinging the bat how I know I can swing it.”