It may be roughly a month away, but the July 31 MLB trade deadline is still rapidly approaching, and teams are beginning to gauge the market. One team that could emerge as trade deadline sellers is the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are trending to miss the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season.
While the Pirates have many young, exciting pieces that likely won’t be changing teams, they also have some aging stars who could be ripe for a change of scenery. That could include 28-year-old starting third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes.
According to Francys Romero, many teams around MLB are monitoring Hayes as a potential trade target ahead of the July 31 deadline. He names the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees as the teams among the “potential suitors” for Hayes, whom he dubs one of the players “most likely to be traded.”
Hayes’ contract calls for him to earn a $7 million salary this season. He’ll earn the same amount in 2027 and 2027 before his salary spikes to $8 million in 2028 and 2029. Hayes’ contract then features a $12 million team option in 2030.
Yet, the Pirates could be ready to clear his salary off their books, and another team could be eager to take on the one-time Gold Glove third baseman, in hopes of helping Hayes become a more consistent threat at the plate.
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