After being traded to Cincinnati, Ke'Bryan Hayes returns with Reds to play Pirates

Don Kelly said it would be weird to see Ke’Bryan Hayes in red after so many years wearing black and gold while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he became baseball’s premier defensive third baseman.

Hayes used the same word to describe dressing in the visiting clubhouse and sitting in the dugout Thursday afternoon at PNC Park in Cincinnati Reds gear in his first trip to Pittsburgh since being traded July 30.

“It’ll look a little funny probably to everyone here and to all of the fans,” Pirates Gold Glove infielder Jared Triolo said. “You know not to hit it to third base today because he’s over there.”

Hayes is happy to be playing for a playoff contender in August, as the Reds (60-55) were only three games out of wild-card contention entering their four-game series opener against the Pirates. Hayes received a round of applause in pregame introductions with the starting lineup and a warm reception along with a short video highlights montage before his first at-bat in the third inning, to which he tipped his helmet.

“I just focus on going out there and helping my team win,” Hayes said. “It’s definitely in the back of your mind. I guess it is better that it’s happened so soon. Get all that stuff out of the way and get back to playing.”

The 28-year-old was expected to be a franchise cornerstone when he signed an eight-year, $70 million contract in April 2022, a commitment Pirates chairman Bob Nutting likened to planting a stake in the ground toward building a World Series contender.

“The reason I signed a contract here in Pittsburgh was I wanted to be here — and maybe play here my whole career — but baseball is a business at the end of the day and some things have to happen,” Hayes said. “I ended up getting traded to the Reds, and so far it’s been great.

“They’ve made the transition pretty easy for me, and some of the guys I already knew from playing over the years and some I knew from talking to them in games, playing in the division a lot. It’s been great over here, and they’ve welcomed me with big arms. We’re kind of in the hunt for some playoff contention, so that’s been my biggest thing, being out there, making plays and putting up good at-bats to help us win.”

Ke’Bryan Hayes on the trade from the Pirates to the Reds giving him a fresh start. pic.twitter.com/p4HzGnRrLb

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) August 7, 2025

The Reds acquired Hayes because of his glove, as the 2023 National League Gold Glove winner was leading all third basemen with 16 defensive runs saved and 15 outs above average this season at the time of the trade. It allowed Cincinnati to move Noelvi Marte to right field.

“I appreciate the work that he put in and how he approached every single day and how good he is over there at third base,” said Kelly, the Pirates manager who had doubled as their infield coach. “Just can’t say enough about what he was able to do. First Gold Glove as a third baseman, and he had earned that — and probably earned multiple of them. He’d been so good defensively for us.”

His offense, however, left a lot to be desired. Hayes was batting .236/.279/.290 with 10 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 36 RBIs in 100 games with the Pirates this season. In 576 games over six seasons, Hayes batted .254 with 39 home runs and an 87 OPS+ while battling hand, wrist and back problems.

Hayes’ Reds debut against the Atlanta Braves certainly raised eyebrows. He committed a fielding error in the sixth inning that allowed two runs to score but hit a three-run shot to spark an eight-run eighth inning in a 12-11 loss at Great American Ball Park. Over his next five games with the Reds, Hayes was 3 for 14.

“You know what, he kind of has come as advertised: good kid, great kid,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “The first game here he had an error, which is atypical, but you can see watching him he’s pretty special. He’s hit some balls to right field, which in our ballpark will play. We feel like there’s some more in that bat. Saying that, we don’t want to on Aug. 7 retool his swing because that’s not fair to anybody. We’re excited.”