Today the Reds made some important roster moves that make things quite a bit clearer as they move into their series with the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend.
The headliner was the activation of Eugenio Suárez from the 10-day injured list after his recovery from a mild oblique strain. Overall, he appeared in two rehab games in the minors and finished 1-for-7 with a double. Before going on the injured list Suárez was hitting .231 with 3 home runs, 11 RBI, 10 runs, and a .300 on-base percentage across 91 at-bats.
The plan, according to Terry Francona, is that both Suárez and Sal Stewart will split time at third base moving forward.
And that is because, in a corresponding move, the Reds placed Ke’Bryan Hayes on the 10-day injured list with a lumbar bulging disc, clearing the way for a new dynamic at third base moving forward.
And while the injury is something no one should cheer for, the opportunity for a new dynamic at third base moving forward is something fans have been waiting to see for quite some time. Francona indicated that the injury is a chronic one and he will likely need to head to Arizona, potentially signaling a prolonged absence.
Hayes’ time with the Reds was complicated from the very start. They acquired him from the Pirates in July of 2025, in exchange for left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers, shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura, and cash. As part of the deal, the Reds also assumed most of the remaining money on Hayes’ long-term contract, which reportedly totaled roughly $30–38 million through 2029 with a club option for 2030.
Even at the time of the trade, the league knew his offensive liabilities. He was batting around .236 with limited power, but the hope was that he might improve enough to justify keeping him in the lineup given his fielding prowess.
But the exact opposite has happened. Since joining the Reds, Hayes is batting just .194 with a wRC+ of 53 and a -0.2 WAR. He has had over three hundred plate appearances to prove that he can be a contributor on offense, but simply has not been able to do so. While his defense has been spectacular at times (although StatCast shows his 2026 outs above average as in the 66th percentile, good but hardly elite), the Reds simply do not have enough leeway to keep bad hitters in the lineup.
They are 21st in wRC+ and 23rd in fWAR while coming in 27th in batting average. With Hayes, Matt McLain, Tyler Stephenson, and TJ Friedl all hitting below (or in several cases well below) the league averages, Cincinnati simply must find ways to maximize the pop they get at each position.
And with Suarez returning, the hope is that perhaps now they can, especially as it pertains to the hot corner.
Sal Stewart can certainly help there, as in his last four games he has nine hits and looks to be working his way out of a slump that took up a good chunk of the month of May.
Third base will now look a lot different for the Reds, and although the ultimate results remain to be seen, it’s a welcome turning of the page from one of the more frustrating trade acquisitions in recent memory.
