Yankees Don't Need Pirates Gold Glover

Unfortunately for the New York Yankees, there aren't a ton of appealing third base options available at this year's trade deadline outside of Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Eugenio Suárez.

Ryan McMahon of the Colorado Rockies has been connected to the Yankees on multiple occasions over the past few years, though he's far from a fail-safe option at the hot corner, and Pittsburgh Pirates stalwart Ke'Bryan Hayes is another player whom has reportedly caught New York's eye.

On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Noah Hiles stated that Hayes' chances of being dealt by the cellar-dwelling Pirates before the July 31 deadline are greater than him sticking around in the Steel City.

The Yankees are among several teams who profile as logical landing spots for the 28-year-old, at least on paper, but they should stay far away from Hayes.

The 2015 first-round pick has spent his entire career with the Pirates, batting .255/.308/.371 over 565 games and 2,322 plate appearances. Hayes turned in a pair of productive campaigns in 2022 and 2023, accumulating a combined 6.3 fWAR with a .710 OPS in 260 contests, but it's been all downhill ever since.

Hayes played in just 96 games during 2024 due to a chronic lower back issue. He saw his slash line plummet to .233/.283/.290 while hitting four home runs, and this season hasn't gone much better for him. Over 89 contests and 350 trips to the plate in the first half, Hayes hit .238/.284/.293 with two homers and 31 RBIs.

There's no denying Hayes' defensive excellence, as the 2023 Gold Glove winner leads all qualified third baseman with 13 Outs Above Average and 11 Defensive Runs Saved on the year, but that can only take him so far.

The Yankees need stability at the hot corner, but there's no guarantee that Hayes, in his current state, is a substantial upgrade over Oswald Peraza. Both are defensive-minded players and well below average right-handed hitters, with the only difference being that Hayes would cost prospect capital in a trade and is due $30 million from 2026 through 2029 while Peraza is still in pre-arbitration.

It would make for a feel-good story if the Yankees were to acquire Hayes and have him follow in the footsteps of his father Charlie, who won the 1996 World Series with the club, but such a move simply isn't sensible for New York.

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