He's happy to be in Cincy.
It's been a whirlwind week for Ke'Bryan Hayes.
On Thursday, he was traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Cincinnati Reds. And on Saturday, he had to travel with his brand new team to Bristol, Tennessee to play in the Speedway Classic at a NASCAR track.
He's still getting his bearings, but he feels good so far.
Hayes spoke to Fox's Ken Rosenthal during Saturday night's rain delay and shared his initial feelings.
“I didn’t really have in my mind that I’d be playing for another team, but here we are. But so far it’s been great, all of the guys here have welcomed me," Hayes told Rosenthal.
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Hayes went on to share details of his first conversation with manager Terry Francona, along with what it's like to be playing in such a different venue.
“I didn’t really have in my mind that I’d be playing for another team, but here we are. But so far it’s been great, all of the guys here have welcomed me.”@Ken_Rosenthal talks with the new @Reds 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes pic.twitter.com/NwQfKiDV4s
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 3, 2025
Hayes has the potential to be a big pickup for the Reds, even if he doesn't hit much.
He leads MLB third baseman in outs above average, a defensive metric, by more than double the OAA of the next-closest player in the category. You don't need to know the intricacies of the stat to know that doubling up second place is quite the feat.
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That's what Hayes has always been known for. He was hitting only .236 with two homers at the time of the trade.
The Reds wanted an upgrade at third base, and they got a Gold Glover.
It's gotta be energizing for Hayes, even if he didn't necessarily truly believe he'd get moved.
The Pirates were bottom dwellers, but the Reds are chasing a playoff spot. He gets to play meaningful baseball down the stretch.
And that glove will sure look good in a Reds uniform, making play after play in Cincinnati for years to come.
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