After their 2-1 win over the Royals at PNC Park Tuesday, for the first time since May 27, 2019, the Pirates are over .500 (opening day in Chicago notwithstanding).

They’ve done it all without their best player, who they lost in Chicago. Ke’Bryan Hayes, the presumed National League rookie of the year entering the season, exited that second game with a left wrist injury that has sidelined him since.

On Tuesday, a source told DK Pittsburgh Sports that, while there still isn’t a timetable for Hayes’ return to the active roster, he is feeling better after his setback last week and should start swinging a bat again soon. After being without him for almost a month, it looks like he could finally be on the radar again soon.

What does that mean for the lineup when he does eventually return?

The simple answer is the Pirates would get back who many projected to be their best player. The top of the lineup has been good thus far, and adding Hayes makes it just one person deeper. Not to mention he is a potential future gold glove at the hot corner and can create runs on the basepaths. The Pirates have done a good job temporarily filling in in those spots in his absence, but adding him back into the mix would only help.

Third base has mostly been filled by Erik González and Phillip Evans, the later of whom has taken more reps in left field of late.

The Pirates designated both of their opening day options in center field, Anthony Alford and Dustin Fowler, for assignment last week, so Bryan Reynolds has received the bulk of the playing time there. While he grades out better in left, center is his natural position. 

And while Tuesday’s starter Tyler Anderson didn’t need a lot of help from his defense, but when he did, Reynolds delivered:

Evans has started in left in Reynolds’ place, and while not a natural, he has flashed the leather a couple times, including a diving basket catch to end the top of the seventh.

“I think Phil's done a nice job out there,” Derek Shelton said before the game. “I really don't look at Phil as an infielder; I look at him as a utility guy (who) can go to both spots in the outfield and play there effectively.”

Gonzålez has been surprisingly productive in Hayes’ place, driving in 12 runs, the second most on the team. The Pirates went into spring training with the shortstop job up for grabs. While Kevin Newman won that spring competition, he has not hit well in the regular season, and is currently hitting .187 with a .468 OPS. González could potentially get more playing time there.

As for roster construction, Hayes’ eventual activation would presumably come at the cost of either Wilmer Difo or Todd Frazier. Frazier has yet to log a hit in his four games since being activated, but the reason why he didn’t initially make the team out of spring training was versatility. He can only play first and third base, while Difo is a utility player.

Difo has also had some success coming off the bench early, going 4-for-12 as a pinch-hitter thus far, including the game-winning bloop Tuesday.

Hayes has already experienced one setback with his rehab, and even then it was believed to be a day-to-day injury in the initial diagnosis. There’s encouraging news on this front, but don’t count any chickens before they hatch.

With that said, the Pirates have already dug themselves out of an early 1-6 hole to start the season to get back over .500 before April concluded. Some players may be outperforming their expectations, but this group has been led by their pitching, defense and timely hitting. Hayes’ return would only help the last two facets.

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