The New York Yankees , Chicago Cubs , and Detroit Tigers are all poised to be buyers at the MLB trade deadline, with each World Series contender having similar needs. That has led the three organizations to inquire about a trade for the same infielder.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Tigers, Cubs and Yankees all reached out to the Pittsburgh Pirates to inquire about the availability and acquisition cost for third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes.
Related: MLB Trade Deadline Predictions, including Cubs, Yankees and Tigers
Hayes, age 28, is regarded as one of the top third basemen available at this year's trade deadline. While he does not have the offensive profile that Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Eugenio Suárez brings, the 2023 Gold Glove Award winner is a superior defender at the hot corner.
Ke'Bryan Hayes stats ( ESPN ):.237/.284/.294, .578 OPS, 2 home runs, 33 RBI in 337 at-bats
Offensively, Hayes has nearly as many strikeouts (75) as hits (78) so far this season. He currently ranks 29th in OPS (.578) among third basemen with at least 250 plate appearances in 2025. The right-handed hitter has struggled at the plate for the past two seasons, recording a .236/.284/.293 triple-slash line across his last 665 at-bats.
Related: New York Yankees Eyeing 3 Diamondbacks Players
Ke'Bryan Hayes contract ( Spotrac ): $7 million salary in 2025-27, $8 million salary in 2028-29, $12 million club option in 2030
What makes Hayes especially intriguing for the Yankees, Cubs, and Tigers is his defensive prowess at third base. He leads his position with 13 Defensive Runs Saved , well above the next-closest player, and ranks in the 97th percentile for Fielding Run Value .
Interested clubs are likely hopeful they can help Hayes return to the caliber of hitter he was from 2022-23, when he posted a .257/.312/.398 triple-slash line. Even with modest offensive production, his elite defense helped make Hayes a 4.0 bWAR player each season.
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