Pittsburgh Pirates rookie and National League Rookie of the Year favorite Ke'Bryan Hayes suffered a physical setback to the wrist injury that has kept him on the injured list.
Hayes was originally slated to play a game at the team's alternate site in advance of his return to the lineup. However, those games were cancelled, prompting the Pirates to have Hayes join the team in Detroit. He reaggravated the injury simulating “high velo swings,” per Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com.
Gorman said the plan is for Ke'Bryan Hayes to return to Pittsburgh and undergo further evaluation before the team comes up with a timeline.
Pirates sports medicine director Todd Tomczyk:
* 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes reaggravated his left wrist last night. Plan was for him to play in alt site games in Toledo, which were canceled. Decision was made to bring him to Detroit, and he simulated high velo swings. Felt symptoms again.— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) April 22, 2021
Tomczyk: Hayes felt same pain in same spot as original injury, hesitant to call this anything more than a reaggravation.
That's why he wasn't cleared for full baseball activities to return to play without taking these necessary steps.— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) April 22, 2021
The plan is to get Hayes back to Pittsburgh and re-examined by a hand specialist, and come up with a plan to return to play.
— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) April 22, 2021
Ke'Bryan Hayes sustained the injury in the second game of the season against the Chicago Cubs after diving back into first base on a pickoff attempt. Ensuing X-rays were negative, but the team placed him on IL as a precautionary measure.
This is an unfortunate setback for a young star who figured to be one of the few bright spots on this Pirates team.
Hayes was brilliant in his brief stint with Pittsburgh's MLB club last summer. He slashed .376/.442/.682 with five homers and 14 extra-base hits in just 24 games. The Texan made loads of hard contact and showed good power to all fields.
The hitting prowess was especially encouraging given Hayes was held in high esteem more so because of his glove work than his hit tool. Indeed, Ke'Bryan Hayes had a huge spring training and clubbed a home run in his first at-bat of the new season. He looked for all the world like the early preseason favorite for NL Rookie of the Year.
However, Hayes will have multiple hurdles to clear before returning to action.
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