The stove is hot!
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Pittsburgh Pirates are trading third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds.
Hayes is under team control for five more seasons, having signed an eight-year, $70 million contract in pre-arbitration. Advanced metrics grade Hayes as one of the best defenders in the sport, regardless of position.
His defense is where most of his value comes from. Over the past two seasons, Hayes hasn’t hit very well. In 100 games this season, Hayes is hitting .236 with two home runs. He’s avoided striking out at a high rate, but hasn’t taken walks.
According to Passan, the Pirates received Sammy Stafura and Taylor Rogers in return. Rogers will slot directly into the Pittsburgh bullpen. Stafura is the Reds’ ninth-ranked prospect by Baseball America. He’s 20 years old and has an .804 OPS in Single-A Daytona. He’s a good athlete and strong runner who should be able to stick at shortstop defensively.
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The Reds travel to Pittsburgh for a four-game series beginning on August 7.
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