‘It’s a Little Weird,’ Ke’Bryan Hayes on His Return to PNC Park Following Trade to Reds
PITTSBURGH – Ke’Bryan Hayes returned to the only field he ever called home for the overwhelming majority of his six year big-league career.
Hayes made his debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in 2020 and suited up in the black and gold for the next five years.
That was until Hayes was traded by the Pirates to the Cincinnati Reds the day before last week’s deadline. Eight days after the trade, Hayes returned to Pittsburgh for the start of a four-game series against the Pirates on Thursday.
The 28-year-old, wearing red and white and a Reds logo on his cap, said it was a bit odd going to the visitor’s clubhouse during a media scrum in the first base dugout shortly after taking infield practice.
“It’s good to come back and play in front of the fans,” he said on his return. “It’s a little weird just because I was here for five, six years, but it’s a Thursday night, Paul [Skenes is] throwing, so it should be a fun night.”
Hayes totaled 576 games with the Pirates in his career and batted .254 with a .676 OPS, 558 hits, 101 doubles, 16 triples, 40 home runs, 215 RBI and 61 steals.
But defense was always his calling card. Hayes led baseball with 92 defensive runs saved since the start of his career. He won the 2023 National League Gold Glove at the hot corner and looks likely to repeat the honor this season.
“It was great,” Hayes said of his Pirates’ tenure. “There were ups and downs. Having to go on the IL, but I felt like this past year, I was able to stay on the field, stay healthy. But all in all, it was good. Just kind of all the things I’ve learned, all the people I’ve met. The fans were great to me here and I got to meet a lot of people.”
The Pirates signed Hayes to an eight-year extension at the start of the 2022 season. At the time, it was the largest contract in franchise history, though it’s since been broken by extensions signed by Bryan Reynolds (2023) and Mitch Keller (2024).
“At the end of the day, the reason I signed a contract here in Pittsburgh was I wanted to be here, and maybe play here my whole career,” Hayes explained. “But baseball is a business at the end of the day and some things have to happen. I ended up getting traded to the Reds, and so far it’s been great.”
The trade didn’t come as a total surprise to Hayes. The Pirates were destined to sell off several pieces from their big-league roster given that they’ve been buried in the National League Central division for most of the season.
Hayes kept up with the latest rumors leading up to the deadline and knew he was the subject of trade speculation.
“In my head, in a way, because of the reports and stuff, I knew there may be a chance I got traded.”
But now Hayes gets to play for a team pushing for a spot in the playoffs. The Reds enter Thursday’s game with a 60-55 record and in third place in the division. Though they are 10.5 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers, they are only three games behind the New York Mets for the third wild card spot.
Hayes is excited to play in meaningful games late in the season for the first time in his career.
“It feels good. To be in contention, especially late in the year,” he said. “Everyone here, the players and stuff, feel like they’re kinda, how they’re going about the days, they’re keeping it loose.”
Pirates manager Don Kelly said during his pregame media availability that it’s going to be weird seeing Hayes playing for an opposing team for the first team. And knowing Hayes’ defensive prowess, Kelly is hoping the new Reds’ third baseman doesn’t get many chances to make a play.
“Prefer staying away from hitting it to him,” Kelly joked.
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