Ke’Bryan Hayes expected back with Pirates this week

The Pittsburgh Pirates got some good news this weekend, when they announced that young star in the making Ke’Bryan Hayes, who hasn’t played since the second game of the season, is expected back later this week from his Minor League rehab assignment, according to the Tribune Review.

Hayes suffered a left wrist injury back on April 3 and then reaggravated it again on April 22 before being transferred to the 60-day DL at the beginning of May. The Pirates have been intentionally conservative with his recovery. General Manager Ben Cherington said:

“The last thing we wanted to do was sort of rush him back and then something else happens because his body was just not ready. We want to be cautious with that and recognize there’s still a lot of season to go, give him every chance to come back healthy from a total body perspective. So that’s why you’ve seen maybe a little longer progression than we would in some other cases with rehab.”

Hayes is eligible to return to the lineup on Thursday, which is when the Buccos start a home series against the Miami Marlins, so it looks to be a good day for his return.

Hayes is batting .200 with one homerun and two RBIs in his two Major League games this season, and he’s been hot in his rehab assignment, hitting .300 with two homeruns and six RBIs in six games.

According to Cherington, the Pirates also expect the also-injured Colin Moran and Phillip Evans back very soon, possibly as early as this week also, so the Buccos just may be at full strength for the first time in a long time.