The Pittsburgh Pirates rewarded star third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes with a juicy new contract on Thursday morning, locking him down for eight years at a sum of $70 million. Hayes hit the field on Opening Day under his new deal, but he wasn’t out there for long. Hayes suffered an apparent left wrist injury in the first inning of the 2022 season and was immediately removed from the game.

This is a brutal blow for the Pirates, merely hours after their franchise cornerstone had agreed to a big-money deal to extend his stay for the foreseeable future. His removal from the game may have been precautionary, but it certainly doesn’t bode well that the 25-year-old was removed less than a full inning into the year.

FanSided’s Robert Murray notes the contract was not finalized just yet, as it was pending a physical. This injury could end up having serious implications on Hayes’ deal with the Pirates, though that remains to be seen.

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With Hayes removed from the game, 24-year-old Diego Castillo replaced him at third base. Hayes had already taken his first plate appearance of the game, striking out against Cardinals veteran starter Adam Wainwright.

Last season, Hayes slashed .257/.316/.373 with 6 home runs and 38 RBI across 96 games. He impressed in his first taste of big-league ball in 2020 during the shortened season, raking to the tune of a .376 batting average and 5 home runs across a small 24-game sample. The Pirates were impressed enough to lock him down for the long haul, but his contract status could be in jeopardy following his Opening Day injury.