Pirates hope simultaneous success of Ke'Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds continues on road trip

When the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds to eight-year contracts, the expectation was for them to become franchise cornerstones.

The seven-game homestand against the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds showed what Hayes and Reynolds can do when both are clicking at the same time, a rarity in a season where both have battled inconsistency and nagging injuries.

Hayes had his best stretch of the season, batting .409/.435/.955 with a double, a triple, three home runs and 10 RBIs with four runs scored in six games. Reynolds hit .310/.394/.655 with a double, three homers and three RBIs with eight runs scored over seven games.

That both Hayes and Reynolds were hot at the same time had a ripple effect on the Pirates lineup, taking pressure off their rookies and adding offensive support to their pitchers.

“When you do stuff in the middle of your order from your core guys,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said, “it allows the rest of the guys to kind of relax a little bit.”

Their success hasn’t always been simultaneous. When Hayes had his sensational September as a rookie in 2020 — hitting .376 with 14 extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in 24 games — Reynolds batted .195 (16 for 82). When Reynolds won NL player of the week honors in April after slashing .405/.415/.919 with five homers and 14 RBIs, Hayes hit .139 (5 for 36) over the same stretch.

The Pirates have banked on both becoming big-time performers. They signed Hayes to an eight-year, $70 million contract in April 2022, then gave Reynolds an eight-year, $106.75 million extension this past April. Hayes and Reynolds have dealt with low-back inflammation that forced them to do stints on the 10-day injured list, so their hitting over the homestand was a sign both are back to being healthy.

“That’s what they get paid the big bucks for. There’s a responsibility that comes along with it,” Pirates designated hitter Andrew McCutchen said. “When they’re doing what they’re expected to do, it takes a load off the guys that are just getting their feet wet. The more we can get those guys to continue to be consistent, the better the team is and thus we have good results as a club, at least offensively. That’s the expectation. Unfortunately, with the game of baseball, it’s going to go up and down. You just want to have more ups than downs.”

Is anyone hotter than Ke'Bryan Hayes right now? We don't think so. pic.twitter.com/yY0D9eO0j0

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 10, 2023

Hayes had a pair of two-hit games and a three-hit game against Atlanta, hitting homers in back-to-back games and becoming the first Pirates player since Jason Bay (May 24-27, 2006) to have three or more RBIs in three consecutive games.

The Pirates third baseman attributed his performance to a switch in his setup that minimizes his movements and allows his barrel to connect through his bat path and his body to get behind the ball.

“Ultimately, just my body being in a better spot,” Hayes said. “The setup that I’m working with now, I feel like I have all the time in the world because my movement is a lot more simple and it’s more of just step to the ball and hit type of thing.”

To Shelton, it’s evident Hayes has found his timing at the plate.

“When we see Ke’ on time, we see him have the ability to get the ball in the air and drive the ball and we saw that,” Shelton said. “It looks like he’s on time, he’s healthy, he’s able to rotate so. Just really good at-bats.”

THE BRYAN REYNOLDS GAME. pic.twitter.com/6EFeC4giYr

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 14, 2023

Reynolds had four two-hit games over the homestand, but his last was his best. He hit a pair of solo home runs in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader, a 6-5 loss in 10 innings. The second homer gave the Pirates a two-run lead in the seventh inning.

Reynolds also made a pair of fantastic sliding catches in left field. One was on the grass on a line drive by Matt McLain in the first inning, the other into the corner wall to rob Elly De La Cruz of a likely extra-base hit with the score tied in the ninth.

“The catch he made on De La Cruz, jeez,” Shelton said, raving after watching a replay. “We wouldn’t have been able to see it from where we’re standing (in the dugout) because we’re blocked. The two homers, and he made a sliding catch in the first or second. Great game for Bryan and was able to put us up 5-3, and we just couldn’t hold on.”

After hitting .200 (19 for 95) in July, Reynolds has been red-hot this month in going 18 for 51 (.353). Reynolds said he felt “pretty good” in the second game, a trend he hopes continues when the Pirates visit the New York Mets for a three-game series starting Monday night followed by three games at the Minnesota Twins.

“Got some good swings off,” Reynolds said. “Just kind of the ebbs and flows of baseball and how my swing works. Whatever it is, just keep it going in New York.”