The Cincinnati Reds have shaken up their lineup ahead of their game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The club has activated All-Star slugger Eugenio Suarez from the injured list. Third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes was placed on the 10-day injured list as the corresponding move.
Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19 Cincinnati first reported the move on May 22.
Eugenio Suárez is activated from the IL, back from his oblique injury.
Those two moves create a massive lineup shift with their infield. Sal Stewart will now get the bulk of the playing time at the hot corner. The rookie infielder is having a strong year with the Reds, slashing 265/.353/.503 with 12 home runs and a 133 wRC+. He is firmly in the National League Rookie of the Year race.
While there is a significant defensive dropoff in defense from Hayes, who won a Gold Glove in 2024, the increased offensive production Stewart provides should make up for that.
Reds Place Struggling Infielder Ke’Bryan Hayes on IL
The Reds are in a tough situation regarding their third baseman. They acquired him from the Pirates at the trade deadline, hoping to get more out of his bat while keeping the elite defense. That hasn’t happened as the 29-year-old third baseman has limped to a .142/.195/.225 slash and a 12 wRC+ in 2026.
The expected metrics on Statcast paint a rosier picture for Hayes. Taking into account his strikeout (15.6%) and walk (6.3%) rates, along with his batted ball data, the Reds third baseman is producing a .259 xBA, .409 xSLG, and .312 xwOBA.
However, the results have come nowhere close to matching his estimated production at the plate. The 118-point gap between his .194 wOBA and .312 xwOBA is the largest underperformance in the league among players who have seen 400 pitches this season.
His production, or lack thereof, has drawn criticism from the Reds TV broadcasters. Following a ground ball double play against the Philadelphia Phillies, play-by-play announcer John Sadak said, “He entered hitting .147, he’s getting on base at a .200 rate. The numbers are what they are, man. You’re 100 at-bats into the year.”
With the infielder struggling at the dish, the Reds decided to give him a breather. Hayes has been dealing with a chronic back issue that’s impacted him for years. The official injury is a lumbar bulging disc.
Per Goldsmith, Hayes will head to the club’s Spring Training facility in Goodyear, Arizona, to start his rehab.
“We want to get this going in the right direction so we can ask (Hayes) to work and he doesn’t have to worry about getting hurt or setting himself back,” Terry Francona told reporters, including Goldsmith.
Reds Activate Star Slugger Eugenio Suarez
The Reds welcome back Suarez, who missed a month with an oblique strain. The club signed the veteran infielder to a one-year, $15 million deal to provide a veteran presence to a young infield and some middle-of-the-lineup thump.
Suarez got off to a slow start on the year, slashing .231/.300/.363 with three home runs and an 84 wRC+ in 25 games. The 34-year-old infielder suffered the oblique injury on April 23.
With Hayes on the injured list, that means Stewart and Suarez will split the reps at third base and designated hitter. In his first game back from the injured list, the veteran started at third and the rookie at DH.
Reds Announce Massive Lineup Shakeup as Struggling Infielder Hits IL