Reds fans who are frustrated with Ke’Bryan Hayes are missing the bigger problem

Ke'Bryan Hayes has given Cincinnati Reds fans little-to-nothing to cheer about since he was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates at last year's trade deadline. Sure, he's made some outstanding defensive plays from time to time, but his .556 OPS since joining the Reds last July has made him almost unplayable.

As far as the majority of fanbase is concerned, Hayes has already run out of chances. The Cincinnati faithful have their hearts set on a return to the postseason this year, and they view Hayes' very presence on the roster as a major stumbling block to the team's playoff aspirations.

And while that's certainly true, and has even been reflected in Terry Francona's recent lineup decisions — Hayes has only started seven of the Reds' last 10 games and has consistently occupied the No. 9 spot in the batting order — this situation speaks to the incompetence of the front office more so than the player's shortcomings.

Ke'Bryan Hayes struggled with the Pirates, but the Reds traded for him anyway

Hayes' offensive struggles were no secret prior to last summer's trade with the Pirates. Outside of one good offensive season in Pittsburgh (2023), Hayes never posted an OPS above .750. During his six years in the Steel City, the third baseman owned a .254/.307/.369 slash line with an 84 wRC+. Over the past two seasons, those numbers dipped to .249/.292/.356 with a 75 wRC+. That should've been a red flag.

When you throw in Hayes' chronic back issues and the $30 million-plus remaining on his contract through the 2029 season, it's fair ask Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall what the heck he was thinking.

Hayes is, at best, a glove-first player who occupies a offensive-focused position. If he played center field or catcher and was putting up those same offensive statisitics while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense, most fans would probably be okay with that.

Instead, while Hayes isn't necessarily stealing playing time away from any one player, his mere presence on the roster effectively pushes Francona into a position where one of his best bats is out of the lineup. If Hayes starts at third base, either Sal Stewart, Nathaniel Lowe, or Eugenio Suárez will likely be out of the lineup in favor of playing the two-time Gold Glove Award-winner.

This is the latest in a long line of front office blunders. Though Krall and Co. have done a nice job over the past few seasons finding inexpensive talent like Lowe, JJ Bleday, and Brandon Drury, the Reds front office has also presided over the acquisitions of Hayes, Jose Trevino, and Gavin Lux.

So while Hayes' struggles are concerning, and certainly frustrating, Reds fans should be sure to direct their ire toward those who executed the trade. They knew what they were getting into.

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