Pittsburgh Pirates DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) has returned from his back injury and is playing third base while hitting third on Friday in the series opener against the Boston Red Sox and right-hander Brayan Bello. Hayes is back in the lineup after missing the last two games with lower-back tightness. It obviously wasn't a serious issue for the 27-year-old, who will now look to get on track at the plate after an off day on Thursday. Hayes has hit .277 (18-for-65) in the early going but has yet to clear the fences and went 3-for-17 with five walks and six strikeouts in the previous five games before his back injury. Hayes has never faced Bello in his career.

Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Aroldis Chapman was hit with a two-game suspension and fine for his actions during Monday's game against the New York Mets. The veteran fireballer got into an altercation with one of the umpires and was ejected from the game in the eighth inning. Chapman is permitted to appeal the suspension, but there is no word yet whether he will. The 36-year-old has pitched well in a set-up role this season, although he was tagged with the loss on Monday after giving up three runs. He is worth rostering in any leagues that track holds as a scoring category as he has five holds and one save through nine appearances in 2024.

Miami Marlins outfielder Bryan De La Cruz has been heating up at the plate over the last week or so. On Wednesday, De La Cruz went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during the 3-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants. The 27-year-old is currently on a six-game hitting streak. During that span, De La Cruz has posted three multi-hit games. Fantasy managers should make sure to keep him in their lineups while he's hot at the plate.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that catcher Yasmani Grandal (foot) will start a minor-league rehab assignment on Wednesday night with Triple-A Indianapolis. Grandal has been out since spring training with plantar fasciitis in his left foot but is getting close to being able to make his 2024 debut with the Bucs. When the 35-year-old does join the Pirates in the big leagues, he'll split time behind the dish with the struggling Henry Davis, who is currently hitting just .180 (9-for-50) with no home runs and four RBI in his first full major-league season. Grandal can provide some occasional pop as a switch-hitting backstop, but he's no longer a must-roster player in single-catcher leagues, especially since he won't be playing regularly.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) is out of the starting lineup for the second straight day on Wednesday against the New York Mets. Hayes was scratched from Tuesday's contest due to some lower-back tightness and will now sit a second game this week. The 27-year-old missed some time with a back injury last year as well, so the Pirates are probably being extra cautious so that he can avoid another trip to the injured list. For now, fantasy managers should consider him as day-to-day. With an off day on Thursday, perhaps Hayes will be able to return to action for the start of a series on Friday against the visiting Boston Red Sox. Jared Triolo is starting at third and batting eighth on Wednesday against Mets right-hander Luis Severino.