CHICAGO -- Although it seemed the Pirates were dealt a devastating blow early in the season, the club appears to have avoided anything serious for now.
Ke'Bryan Hayes underwent x-rays on his left wrist that have come back negative, according to a report from MLB Network's Jon Heyman. Hayes was removed in the third inning of Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field with left wrist discomfort.
A play that seemed innocuous in the moment could have detrimental repercussions for the Pirates. Derek Shelton said that Hayes mentioned that the knob of the bat caught his wrist awkwardly on a foul ball in the first inning. After that foul ball, Hayes drew a walk in his lone plate appearance against Jake Arrieta. Then he exacerbated the injury after diving back to first base on a pickoff throw.
Hayes was checked on by trainers for a few minutes on the bases but remained in the game to score the Pirates' only run on Kevin Newman's single. He also returned to third base to play defense in the first and second innings but was lifted for a pinch hitter, Erik Gonzalez, in the third.
"The fact that he could grip his glove and play defense, we left him in there to play defense," Shelton said.
There's no word form the team yet on the severity of the injury but an official update should be provided Sunday.
The 24-year-old homered in his first at-bat Thursday and finished 1-for-5 with a walk on the afternoon. Losing Hayes would be a huge blow for the Pirates. He's coming off a spring in which he batted .431 with a 1.208 OPS and 10 extra-base hits.
