Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes and outfielder Jack Suwinski will start Sunday's series finale against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds on the bench. Isiah Kiner-Falefa will start at third base and hit seventh against Reds right-hander Hunter Greene. Oneil Cruz (finger) is back in center field for the series finale. Adam Frazier is starting in left field and batting sixth and Alexander Canario is in right field and in the five-hole. Bryan has gotten off to another slow start in 2025, going 11-for-52 (.212) with a homer, five RBI, two steals and 10 strikeouts in his first 15 games. The 28-year-old went hitless in six at-bats with three K's in the first two games of the series against Cincy. Canario and Frazier have never faced Greene, while Kiner-Falefa is hitless in just two career at-bats against him. Neither player will be all that attractive as a DFS sleeper.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes is not in the starting lineup on Sunday for the series finale at loanDepot Park against the Miami Marlins. Jared Triolo will make the start at the hot corner and will bat seventh against Marlins right-hander Max Meyer. Through the first three games of the 2025 season, Hayes, who had a disastrous 2024 campaign that ended early due to injury, has gone 2-for-13 with two stolen bases and two runs scored for the Bucs. If the 28-year-old doesn't show any improvement with his bat in the early going this year, there's a chance that Triolo could steal more and more playing time from him at third base. Triolo, meanwhile, comes into Sunday's finale having played in just one game while going hitless in his four at-bats with one strikeout. He has never faced Meyer in his career.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (side) is starting on Saturday afternoon. Hayes will cover the hot corner and bat at the top of the lineup. Hayes has been held out of action since the first week of the month due to left side tightness. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his status, but seeing him return to the lineup suggests he will not be in danger of missing Opening Day. The 28-year-old is expected to be Pittsburgh's everyday third baseman. Last season, the former 32nd-overall selection posted a .233/.283/.290 line with four home runs and 11 stolen bases. He generated a low .279 xwOBA but showed a strong eye at the plate as he held an 18.9 percent strikeout rate. Hayes is known for being an elite defender which will keep him in the starting lineup. Fantasy managers should view Hayes as a depth corner infielder in deeper formats.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (side) has resumed full baseball activities. Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk noted, "We envision him being available for game activity in the coming days as well." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status but should expect him to return to the starting lineup very soon. Hayes has been dealing with left side tightness over the past two weeks. When healthy, he should have an everyday role as the starting third baseman. Last season, the former 32nd-overall pick held a .233/.283/.290 line with four home runs and 11 stolen bases. He generated a weak .279 xwOBA but showed a strong eye at the plate as he held an 18.9 percent strikeout rate. Fantasy managers should view him as a depth corner infield option that has more value in points leagues given his low strikeout rate.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (side) is dealing with "left side tightness." He has not been in a spring contest since March 5. However, Hayes was seen taking ground balls on Monday and is expected to step in the batter's cage on Tuesday. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as a setback could put him in danger of missing Opening Day. Last season, the 28-year-old had his campaign cut short due to a back injury. Across 96 games, Hayes held a .233/.283/.290 slash line with nine doubles and four home runs. He generated a weak .279 xwOBA and a .327 xSLG which were both well below the average marks. However, he is an elite defender as he placed in the 90th percentile in Outs Above Average. If he were to miss time, Jared Triolo would likely see an uptick in playing time.

The word at Pittsburgh Pirates camp is that third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) is feeling good entering spring training. PittsburghPG's Noah Hiles writes that he couldn't help but notice Hayes walking around on Wednesday with a big smile on his face. The 28-year-old fell apart in 2024 and played in only 96 games, slashing .233/.283/.290 with a career-worst .573 OPS, four home runs, 25 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 75 strikeouts in 396 plate appearances. However, his back injury was most likely to blame, and he didn't play for the Pirates past Aug. 17. Hayes has an elite glove at third base, so as long as he's healthy, he should see regular playing time. But for fantasy purposes, managers shouldn't be expecting much from a power standpoint given the injuries that he dealt with last year. Hayes' speed and regular playing time will make him useful in NL-only formats, but those in mixed leagues will be avoiding him.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) is not expected to return during the final week of the season, according to Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pirates assistant general manager Kevan Graves said that the window for Hayes to return is "too short." Hayes finishes the 2024 campaign with a disappointing .233/.283/.290 slash line and just four home runs and 11 stolen bases. Fantasy managers should expect Jared Triolo to see the majority of starts at the hot corner during the final week of the season. Triolo is getting the starting nod on Sunday afternoon and will bat in the seven-hole against Cincinnati right-hander Hunter Greene.

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said on his weekly appearance on 93.7 The Fan that as of right now, offseason back surgery is not on the table for third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back). The current focus is on strengthening Hayes' back. He has yet to resume baseball activities since landing on the injured list three-plus weeks ago. The 27-year-old tanked offensively in 2024, but most of his issues could stem from back issues that have plagued him all year. Hayes is not going to return in 2024, and his and the Pirates primary focus this offseason will be to get his back issues sorted out so that he can try to get back to form in 2025. The former first-rounder in 2015 struggled to a .233/.283/.290 slash line with a terrible .573 OPS, four homers, 25 RBI and 11 steals in 365 at-bats this year. Jared Triolo has been the primary beneficiary at third in Pittsburgh with Hayes on the IL.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are still in the process of "learning more" about third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes' back injury, and there is no timetable for his return right now. The Pirates have fallen even further out of playoff contention after a sweep at the hands of the division-rival Chicago Cubs this week, so it wouldn't be a surprise at all if we didn't see Hayes at all again in 2024. The 27-year-old is on the injured list for the second time in 2024 with back issues and may need a surgical procedure, depending on what the team finds in their evaluations. Playing at less than 100% has led Hayes to regress further offensively, hitting .233/.283/.290 with only four home runs, 25 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 365 at-bats. Jared Triolo is benefitting from a starting role at third base in Pittsburgh now that Hayes is on the shelf again. The priority for the Pirates at this point is just getting Hayes healthy for 2025.

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said on his 93.7 The Fan radio show on Sunday that he was optimistic that third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) will play again in 2024. Hayes was placed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 19 due to lower-back inflammation, which also kept him out in May for an 18-day stint on the IL. In his last six games, Hayes hit just .042 (1-for-24), and he's hitting .196 in the month of August. It's clear that the 27-year-old's back injury has been affecting his performance for a while. The former first-round pick's numbers have crashed hard this year and he's currently slashing .233/.283/.290 with a .573 OPS, only four home runs, 25 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 38 runs scored. It's unclear how much Hayes might play when he returns, especially if Pittsburgh is eventually eliminated from playoff contention. Hayes' injury has opened up more playing time for Jared Triolo.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) has been placed on the 10-day injured list on Monday. It sounds like Hayes has been dealing with a lingering back issues all season long. That could explain his regression on both offense and defensively this season. Hayes will attempt to return this season, but surgery hasn't been ruled out yet. The expectation is that the red-hot Isiah Kiner-Falefa will move over to third base while Hayes is out. Jared Triolo should also see more playing time with Hayes on the shelf. Triolo isn't much of an asset offensively, but Kiner-Falefa has continued his solid play after being traded to Pittsburgh at the deadline. Kiner-Falefa is hitting .290 with eight home runs and 38 RBI in 96 games this season.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back), who has regressed bit time in 2024 and is hitting .233 (85-for-365) with four home runs, 25 RBI and 11 stolen bases, has been playing through debilitating back issues that he described as basically a herniated disc. "My whole issue is the disc has lost its jelly stuff," Hayes said. "When we look at the MRIs, [the discs are] just kind of compressing. I don't know that it's rubbing, but it's definitely a little collapsed to where there's pressure, inflammation builds up, and muscles want to try to protect." Among the 140 qualified position players as of Sunday, Hayes' .573 OPS was dead-last. He has one hit in his last 24 at-bats and has only 13 extra-base hits in 396 plate appearances this year. His average against fastballs has dropped from .302 last year to .211 this year. An offseason trade is unlikely because of the fact that his value is at an all-time low and he's not currently healthy.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes is out of the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hayes will get a routine rest day after playing in nine straight games. During that time, Hayes struggled with a .229 batting average and two RBI. He could use a day off to get himself back on track. Jared Triolo will cover the hot corner and bat eighth versus right-hander Ryne Nelson. Hayes should be back in the lineup after this game.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes and catcher Joey Bart will start on the bench for Tuesday's contest against the visiting division-rival St. Louis Cardinals. Jared Triolo will make the start at the hot corner and bat seventh, with Yasmani Grandal doing the catching and hitting ninth against Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn. Hayes just hasn't lived up to his first-round pedigree and is currently sporting career-lows in average (.241) and OPS (.596) with only three homers, 21 RBI and eight stolen bases in 75 games played in his fifth big-league season. The good news is that he's seeing the ball better in July, batting .273 (18-for-66) with a double, two RBI and two stolen bases in 17 games. Grandal is batting .286 in his career against Lynn with a solo homer in seven at-bats, but he has little DFS upside in the nine-hole.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes and catcher Yasmani Grandal are both starting on the bench for the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday against the hosting Detroit Tigers. Jared Triolo will take over at third base and bat seventh, while Grant Koch will do the catching for rookie right-hander Paul Skenes while batting in the nine-hole against Tigers rookie right-hander Keider Montero, who is making his MLB debut. Hayes returned from the injured list on Tuesday and played in his first game back in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader, going 0-for-2 with a walk while playing all eight innings at the hot corner. It makes sense that the Pirates would rest the 27-year-old in the second game of their twin bill after he just returned from the IL. Hayes should be back in there to start Friday's series in Toronto against the Blue Jays.

The Pittsburgh Pirates activated third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) from the 10-day injured list ahead of Tuesday's series opener against the hosting Detroit Tigers. Hayes is back from a bout of inflammation in his lower back, and he didn't need a minor-league rehab assignment before the Pirates reinstated him. Despite an absurd spring training that suggested his breakout was on the way, the 27-year-old former top prospect is slashing a weak .240/.322/.318 with one home run, seven doubles, 11 RBI, and 15 runs scored over 149 plate appearances (34 games) in the regular season this year but should immediately resume his duties as Pittsburgh's everyday third baseman. Fantasy managers should take a wait-and-see approach before activating Hayes or adding him from waiver wires.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) will resume baseball activities on Monday, according to director of sports medicine Todd Tomcyzk. The plan is for Hayes to play catch and field ground balls on Monday and then swing the bat on Tuesday. The 27-year-old landed on the injured list with a back injury that doesn't sound too serious, so as long as he doesn't suffer a setback, Hayes could be back with the Pirates before the calendar flips to June. Until Hayes is able to return, expect the Pirates to continue to lean on Jared Triolo at the hot corner. Triolo is hitting ninth for the Bucs on Friday against Chicago Cubs veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks. Before his injury, Hayes was hitting a modest .240/.322/.318 with only one home run and 11 RBI in 34 games played.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a back issue, per Kevin Gorman of Tribune-Review Sports. In a corresponding move, the Pirates promoted Alika Williams from Triple-A. Hayes has posted a solid .240/.322/.318 line with only one long ball and a strong 16.1% K rate. However, Hayes has been in a bit of a slump since April 28 with a .121/.189/.152. Williams has appeared in 15 games this season and put up a modest .239/.271/.348 line. Williams may occasionally see starts at the hot corner in Hayes' absence, but a majority of the starts will go to Jared Triolo, who enters Saturday with a .210 AVG.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Fantasy managers don't need to worry, as this appears to be a routine day off for Hayes. In his absence, Jared Triolo will cover third base and bat seventh versus right-hander Javier Assad on Friday. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes went 2-for-5 with his first home run of the season in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Giants. The home run was a solo shot that came off of Giants lefty reliever Taylor Rogers in the tenth inning, right after Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run go-ahead home run to put the Pirates up 3-1. Hayes' blast added an insurance run that would prove pivotal, as the Pirates would go on to win by one run after Jorge Soler hit a two-run shot of his own in the bottom half of the inning to bring the Giants within a run. It was Hayes' second straight multi-hit effort and eleventh in 25 games, now hitting .281 on the season with nine RBI and 12 runs scored. While the 27-year-old is off to a solid start, managers are likely somewhat disappointed in his power output so far and the fact that he has zero stolen bases after totaling 30 over the past two seasons.