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Hayes is a complete non-factor from an offensive standpoint, but he remains one of the better defensive talents at the position. He’s back with Cincinnati after missing less than two weeks with a groin strain.

No indication yet on how long Hayes will be out, but we doubt they’ll be rushing him back since he’s hitting .153 in 78 games this year. The Reds would probably be better off seeing what Edwin Arroyo can do in September.

Sal Stewart hit for Hayes in the 10th and came through with an RBI single. Hayes’ homer was his third of the season and first since he came off the injured list. He’s 4-for-21 with just the one extra-base hit since being activated July 10.

Hayes struck out twice. The 29-year-old defensive wizard remains a complete non-factor at the plate and can be safely ignored in all fantasy leagues. He returned to Cincinnati’s lineup on Friday following a seven-week absence due to a back injury.

Hayes will likely be in the lineup tonight with Matt McLain on his way to the injured list. Fantasy leaguers should probably maintain a wait-and-see approach with Hayes after his abysmal early-season struggles. There’s a non-zero chance we see some passable fantasy production from Hayes, as we have in flashes over the years. He’s hard to count on at this point.

It was a box score-stuffing night for Hayes, who also played the entire game at third base. He’s played only four rehab games so far, but he seems like he’ll be ready to go after the All-Star break. Since Hayes has no minor league options left, the Reds will likely need to decide whether to send down Edwin Arroyo or Matt McLain when Hayes is ready to come back. Another option could be Nathaniel Lowe, who has hit just .203/.313/.261 with a 34 percent strikeout rate in 27 games since June 1st.

Hayes will probably need at least until the All-Star break to get ready to go, at which point it seems likely that the Reds might part ways with Matt McLain from a deep infield mix. Edwin Arroyo has just a .257/.309/.297 line he’s posted in his first 82 plate appearances, but the Reds have seemingly committed to him at second base.

Francona mentioned that the stabilization program is to “get his core at a certain place so he can handle what’s ahead of him.” The Reds have also spoken to Hayes about working on the adjustments that the hitting coaches want him to do, so he may have an extended rehab stint once he gets into a game, so that he can iron out those adjustments. The Reds’ offense may also be better off with Eugenio Suarez at third base and Edwin Arroyo starting in the infield, so there may not be a rush to get Hayes back into the lineup.

Hayes is officially dealing with a lumbar bulging disc injury, and the move is retroactive to May 21. Eugenio Suárez (oblique) was reinstated off the IL as the corresponding move. Hayes hasn’t come close to matching the offensive upside he flashed back in 2020, but he was hitting poorly even by his standards this season, entering Friday with a .142/.195/.225 slash line. He wasn’t playing every day prior to this injury and remains under contract through 2029.

Ouch. Hayes is hitting a pretty incredible .142/.195/.225 through 128 plate appearances. Statcast thinks he’s been extremely unlucky, as he entered tonight with a .262 xBA and a .417 xSLG. He has underachieved some on his xSLG previously, but never like this, and his average and xBA have always matched up very closely prior to this year. Hayes also has a career-best 16 percent strikeout rate. So, he’s probably not going to continue to be anywhere near this bad. It’s just hard to sell Reds fans on that idea right now.

Hayes snapped an 0-for-33 stretch at the dish with an infield single that traveled exactly two feet, per Statcast. It was his first hit since April 5. The 29-year-old third baseman is a phenomenal defender but at some point he has to start producing something at the plate to justify being in the lineup.

Hayes hasn’t had a hit since April 5 and is slashing a pitiful .064/.137/.064 with one RBI and a 4/4 K/BB ratio in 51 plate appearances on the season. It doesn’t matter how good he picks it at third base, that level of offense isn’t going to cut it. Nathaniel Lowe will start as the team’s designated hitter and bat sixth while Eugenio Suarez mans the hot corner.

Hayes has not gotten a hit since April 5 and is working on a 26 plate appearance streak where he has two walks to show for it. Terry Francona said ahead of today’s game “Trevino said something about getting a chicken and having it sacrificed. I told him if we need to, we’ll get a human. We’ll find somebody.” It wouldn’t be surprising if Hayes lost some playing time, even though he is a remarkable defensive 3B, as this slump continues.

Hayes is 6-for-30 with one extra-base hit this spring, and it’s going to be interesting to see just how committed the Reds are to him at third if he doesn’t hit early in the regular season. They have four theoretical alternatives at third in Eugenio Suárez, Sal Stewart, Spencer Steer and Noelvi Marte. Suárez started there three times before leaving for the WBC, suggesting that he might be Francona’s preferred choice. Stewart has played there just once, while the other two haven’t been used there at all. Christian Encarnacion-Strand also got three starts at third before being sent down. Most likely, Hayes is going to be the everyday guy at the beginning of the season, but the Reds might be tempted to keep Nathaniel Lowe on the roster if they want to think of Hayes as more of a part-timer.

Exit velocity has never been the issue for Hayes, but it was nice that his two balls in play today were hit 111 and 104 mph. He’s being penciled in as the Reds’ starting third baseman, but the team does have Sal Stewart and Christian Encarnacion-Strand available as alternatives if he doesn’t hit. Heck, Eugenio Suárez and Noelvi Marte both played third last year, too.

Hayes, 28, missed two games with a back ailment. The 28-year-old is ready to roll against Shota Imanaga and the Chicago bullpen.

Hayes was also going to sit Monday, but he was inserted into the lineup then after Spencer Steer with scratched. Now, Steer is back at first base for a second straight day, putting Sal Stewart at third and Hayes on the bench. Hayes batted a solid .281/.353/.421 in 38 games to begin his Reds career, but he’s gone hitless in four straight contests, which is probably factoring into the loss of playing time.