Reds can't let Ke'Bryan Hayes cost them twice at the trade deadline

Unfortunately, there are no do-overs at the MLB trade deadline. If there were, the Cincinnati Reds would undoubtedly go back in time and reverse course on their foolish decision last July to acquire third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes from their division rival, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Reds shipped left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers along with shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura to Pittsburgh in order to finalize the trade. Since Hayes' arrival in Cincinnati, he's posted a measly .192/.263/.285 slash line.

This is typically the type of mistake that would result in the termination of a GM's contract, but Nick Krall is still employed (for now). And while last summer's acquisition of Hayes will go down as one of the worst moves in franchise history, Cincinnati cannot double down on that mistake and devalue a deal at this year's deadline by including the Gold Glover as part of a trade package.

Reds can't afford to sacrifice another valuable asset for Ke'Bryan Hayes

There are any number of ways that teams will look to make the upcoming trade deadline work for them. Some teams will be targeting prospects, while others are bound to have their sights set on big leaguers. Some organizations will prioritize buying or selling rentals (players on expiring contracts).

Still others will be looking to offload undesirable contracts, and in order to do so, will take less in return for a prized asset. This is the exactly the path the Reds cannot afford to take with Hayes.

Krall himself is no stranger to this type of strategy. In 2022, the Reds attached then-breakout slugger Jesse Winker — who was coming off an All-Star season — to Eugenio Suárez and the remainder of his six-year, $66 million contract extension. Both players were dealt to the Seattle Mariners before the season began, but this was little more than a salary dump for the Reds that also cost them one of their best players.

Most reports link the Reds to focusing on selling rentals like Suárez, Nathaniel Lowe, and Brady Singer, but recent rumors have linked Hunter Greene to the list of available pitchers at this year's trade deadline.

Under no circumstance should Hayes be added to a trade that includes in Greene (or another highly coveted player on the Reds roster) if the intent is to offload his troublesome contract that stretches through 2029. That will only devalue the return as a whole, which is not how the Reds need to operate at this year's deadline.

The Reds made a mistake trading for Hayes. They can't afford to compound it; they need to own it.

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