The Pirates should deal Hayes – if his value is high enough.
Ke’Bryan Hayes has been getting hot at the plate the last two weeks, and that could help Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington squeeze more value from contending clubs in trade negotiations.
According to a report from Francys Romero, Hayes is one of the most likely Pirates to be shipped out of Pittsburgh before the July 31 trade deadline, and many teams are monitoring his availability, including the Cubs, Tigers, and Yankees.
Despite his golden glove, the Pirates can’t afford Hayes’ overall disappointing numbers at the plate year after year, when he is on a long-term contract to be one of the cornerstone pieces in the lineup every day. This is not to mention his injury history with his back, which, despite appearing to be in good shape this year, will likely continue to be a problem as he gets older.
Hayes is currently on an 11-game hitting streak, the longest of his career. During this stretch, he is slashing .400/.429/.475 with a .904 OPS and 10 RBI. Despite this, he has two home runs on the entire season and a .601 OPS. If Hayes can continue his current pace and have a solid month of July, his value may never be higher again, and it could be wise for the Pirates front office to cash in for the proper return.
The proper return is the most essential part of how the Pirates handle this. If they don’t get the value they are looking for, they shouldn’t rush into a trade. After all, there is arguably no one better defensively in the league than Hayes. He must be valuable enough to result in an almost major league-ready bat or a young major league reliever with promise. If enough teams are interested in Hayes, there should be a solid chance that this can happen. With the current front office, however, it’s challenging to trust that they will accurately assess the situation.