Just over a year ago, the Cincinnati Reds said they were going all in on run prevention and they traded for the best defensive third baseman in the sport.
At the time, it was a surprising move because Sal Stewart , one of their top prospects, looked ready to come up and he was playing third base.
Reds manager Terry Francona was excited about the move.
"He might be the best defender in baseball. If not, he's right there. He's that good," Francona told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. "We're trying to find ways to get better. Sometimes it might not be the sexiest move, but we care so much about trying to play clean baseball, and this will be a huge step in that direction."
Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall pointed out the underlying metrics and how the front office thinks they could turn around his offensive production.
"We think there's a lot of underlying metrics to where he is and what he's doing offensively to improve and get back to where he was a couple of years ago," Krall said. "We're really excited. It's not every day you get a chance to get a guy that is an elite defender."
While Hayes has been good defensively at third base, he hasn't been able to stay healthy and when healthy, he's been one of the worst offensive players in the league.
On top of all that, the move fored the Reds to move Stewart to first base.
Aug 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cincinnati Reds third baseman Ke'bryan Hayes (3) celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After coming over from the Reds at the deadline last season, Hayes, while the stats still weren't good, showed some improvement offensively. He took his .569 OPS with the Pirates and raised it to .656 with the Reds.
However, this year, he's been one of the worst hitters in Major League Baseball. In 79 games, Hayes is slashing .151/.210/.246 with eight extra-base hits.
The veteran third baseman was struggling so badly that the Reds sent him out to the complex in Arizona to work on his swing. That hasn't helped.
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (3) throws for an out in the fifth inning between the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
It's something about the third base position and the Reds. In 2019, the Reds signed Mike Moustakas to a four-year, $64 million deal, which at the time was the largest free-agent contract in franchise history. He struggled mightily with Cincinnati and the Reds designated him for assignment in December of 2022.
In 2023, the Reds signed Jeimer Candelario to a three-year, $45 million contract. Candelario looked terrible on both sides of the ball and was designated for assignment in June of 2025.
While the Reds eventually admitted their mistakes with Mike Moustakas and Jeimer Candelario and were willing to eat their contracts to move on, they don't appear ready to reach that point with Hayes, who remains under team control through 2030.
Ultimately, Hayes looks like yet another veteran addition that simply hasn't worked out for the Reds.
No single move is responsible for the Reds missing the postseason, but this is exactly the type of mistake that has added up.
When a team operates with little margin for error, it can't afford to consistently miss on veteran acquisitions. The Reds have done that far too often, and it's a big reason why they'll be watching the postseason from home once again.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/reds/onsi as Reds Refuse to Admit Defeat With One of Their Most Disappointing Players .
