August 5, 2026
AnalysisHayes will pick up his third straight start at third base while
Sal Stewart moves across the diamond and
Eugenio Suarez settles in as the Reds' designated hitter. With the Reds recently placing
Spencer Steer (wrist) on the injured list and trading away
Nathaniel Lowe prior to Monday's deadline, Hayes' outlook for playing time has improved, but he's not necessarily locked in as an everyday player. Hayes is sitting on a dismal .444 OPS over 166 plate appearances this season, and if the Reds prefer to prioritize offense over defense, they could scale back his opportunities and have Suarez play third base more regularly while opening up more reps at DH for rookie
Hector Rodriguez.