CINCINNATI — The Reds will be handing out Ke’Bryan Hayes bobbleheads before the second game of Saturday’s split doubleheader, but Hayes won’t be in the lineup. The struggling third baseman was placed on the injured list with a lumbar disc bulge Friday. In a corresponding move, the Reds activated Eugenio Suárez from the 10-day IL.The Reds’ Friday night game against the St. Louis Cardinals was postponed and will be made up as the first game of a split doubleheader Saturday, with the first game starting at 1:10 p.m. and the second at its regularly scheduled time of 7:15 p.m.Hayes, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline last year, has dealt with back issues for much of his career. Last season was the first since 2022 in which back issues didn’t land Hayes on the IL.“He’s always had the issues — I think the spasming has gotten to the point where it’s kind of getting in the way,” Reds manager Terry Francona said Friday. “Hopefully, we get that settled down and then get him going again. Almost let him take …. a deep breath so we can get the real Hayes.”Francona said Hayes had been dealing with back issues off and on most of the season.
Hayes, 29, won his second Gold Glove in 2025, the first by a Reds infielder in 12 years. The Reds acquired Hayes for his defense, but with hopes that his offense would improve. While Hayes made some small improvements at the plate after coming over from the Pirates last year, he was hitting just .142/.195/.225 so far this season.After his back settles down, Hayes will likely go to the Reds’ complex in Arizona for rehab and to work on some of the offensive changes he’s enacted since being traded to Cincinnati, according to Francona.“We want to get this going in the right direction so we can ask him to work,” Francona said. “And he doesn’t have to worry about getting hurt or setting himself back.”The Reds have multiple options at third base, including Suárez and rookie Sal Stewart. Third base was Stewart’s primary position in the minor leagues, and he has played 13 games there this season for the Reds, including seven starts. Spencer Steer, a Gold Glove finalist at first base last season, can also play third, but has mostly played first when Stewart isn’t manning that position.Suárez signed as a free agent in the offseason to serve primarily as the Reds’ designated hitter. He made six starts at third base before going on the IL last month with a right oblique strain. Suárez played two games in a rehab stint with the Triple-A Louisville Bats. He was the Bats’ DH on Wednesday and played six innings at third base on Thursday. Suárez was 1 for 7 with three strikeouts in two games with the Bats.“We’re going to have to pick our spots a little early; we don’t want to run him into the ground,” Francona said. “He had two rehab games, and we told him that even before he went on this rehab (that) he’ll probably play two out of three this weekend. Then we got a 4 p.m. game in New York (on Monday), so we’ll balance all that. We’re going to have to do that with everybody anyway.”Chris Paddack will make his second start for the Reds in Game 1 on Saturday. Right-hander Chase Petty will be activated as the 27th man on the roster for the doubleheader and will start the second game.
