Hayes reveals he's been battling back injury 'all year'

The 2022 season did not turn out quite like how Ke'Bryan Hayes wanted.

Entering after an injury-filled and sore left wrist cost him a good chunk of 2021, Hayes hasn't been any healthier this season. Recently, he has been shut down for two periods briefly with a muscle strain in his lower back, once requiring a trip to the injured list.

That's not a late-season injury, though. Hayes said that it has been bothering him "all year."

"For the most part, I’ve just been trying to find ways to really just get on the field, stay on the field," Hayes told a small group of reporters after Tuesday's 8-7 loss to the Cardinals. "It’s kind of been frustrating. Some days, I feel pretty terrible. I tried to do what I can to where I can be out on the field."

Hayes' revelation does fill in some blanks about his season. For example, his trip to the injured list in mid-August came during the Pirates' west coast trip, and the plane seats for the cross country trek were originally brought up as an agitator for his back. He was out the minimum 10 days that time, but he has sat a couple times late this season, sometimes in consecutive days, with the back being cited as the reason why.

"Sometimes, getting off a flight late at night or depending on the bed that I’m in [hurts it]," Hayes said. "All that has kind of played a factor. Here lately, the last two weeks, I just tried to limit as many swings and turning and stuff as I could just so I could feel good enough to play. There’s been times where I felt a little pinch, little achy, kind of stuff like that. I just try to do what I can to feel the best that I can, that way I can get out there and compete."

It also could partially explain Hayes' production. He has excelled defensively, where his 24 defensive runs saved lead all of baseball, and he became the first Pirate third baseman to steal 20 bases in a season since Bill Madlock in 1979 (21), but his bat has left something to be desired. Over 557 trips to the plate this year, he has slashed just .245/.316/.347 with seven home runs and 41 RBIs. His slugging percentage has trended down as the season has progressed, especially after the trip to the injured list.

Baseball Reference translates those offensive results to an 88 OPS+, 12 percent worse than a league-average hitter.

Even considering his below-average offensive production, Hayes still leads the team with 4.3 WAR, according to Baseball Reference. Injuries have certainly had an impact, but this will be the second time Hayes will finish with a sub-.700 OPS, even if his exit velocities and metrics would indicate he could be doing better.

The Pirates are certainly banking on Hayes being able to find that next gear offensively. It's why they signed him to an eight-year, $70 million contract on opening day, the most money they have ever given a player in franchise history. But at 25, they also don't expect him to be a finished product yet, either.

"We've got to remember is this kid's still a kid," Derek Shelton said before the game. "Sometimes kids take a little while to develop growing into themselves and hitting. I just think foundationally we have a really good hitter in there and we're looking forward to that."

Getting his back "fixed" is going to be the number one priority for Hayes this winter, which could entail him returning to Florida earlier in spring training for season prep work. Getting that right and finally being able to play a whole year healthy would surely have a positive impact both individually and for the team in 2023.

"I'm not one to make excuses," Hayes said. "It was unfortunate that I had to deal with it, but I tried to make the best of what I had each and every day, try to do the best that I could in my at-bats. I didn't always feel the greatest, but I tried to do what I could each and every day to feel the best that I could to go out there and compete."