The Pirates are reportedly looking to trade third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, who has $36MM remaining on his contract after this season. Hayes, despite his potential, has struggled offensively with a batting line of .234/.288/.300 this year and is striking out at a 20.9% rate. His elite defensive skills at third base, shown by a +14 Outs Above Average, do not compensate for his lack of offensive value. The Pirates are focusing on building a stronger offense around a strong rotation, making Hayes a possible trade candidate.
Hayes's salary isn't exactly pricey, but for a small market club like the Pirates, even a relatively cheap contract that's underwater relative to the player's production can be an issue.
The 28-year-old has rarely been healthy throughout his big league career, and even when healthy has struggled on offense.
While the Pirates wanting to move on from Hayes as they look to build a more potent offense around a strong rotation makes plenty of sense, it's an open question whether the club will be able to find a taker for his services.
Hayes's glove at third base is elite, with an incredible +14 Outs Above Average this year, but a glove-only player at a corner position is still a questionable fit on most contenders.
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