2 min read • April 08, 2022
Posted in
Less than 3 hours after signing an 8-year, $70 million extension and only half an inning into a new season, Pirates' star third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes left the game with left arm soreness.
Hayes was pulled after appearing to injure his upper arm/wrist while diving in the shallow outfield in the Cardinals' first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning. He unrolled his left arm tape and the team's trainers were examining the area before he left the contest.
Hayes walked in his lone at-bat in the first inning and was replaced by 24-year-old Diego Castillo. Castillo, who made his major-league debut after spending only 18 games in AAA in 2021, went 0-3 with 1 strikeout.
Hayes, 25, missed nearly all of April and May with a left wrist soreness that developed into inflammation during his attempt to comeback. He suffered the injury, similarly, on April 4, the Pirates' second game of the season, and returned on June 3. He was later shutdown for the season on Sept. 27 after the soreness returned.
After hitting .376 with 5 home runs, 7 doubles, and 17 runs in 95 plate appearances in his rookie season, Hayes posted a .257 batting average and .689 OPS with 6 home runs, 20 doubles, 38 RBIs, and 49 runs in 396 plate appearances.
Pittsburgh decided to lock him into its future plans, signing the 5'10" right-hander through the end of the decade in what is the largest total value in a contract in the franchise's history.
Updated at 5:35 p.m.:
Hayes said after the game that he suffered a thumb cramp on the play and it loosened up later in the day after a few minutes in the hot tub.
He believes the injury isn't serious and that he will be available to play later in the series.
Written by
