BRADENTON, Fla. -- Ke'Bryan Hayes is not entirely pain-free and might never be "100%" again, but the Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman is confident he can get pretty close.
The 2023 Gold Glove winner was limited to just 97 games in 2024 because of a chronic lower back issue.
"I think for us to be a good team, I have to be that special at my position," Hayes said Wednesday. "Playing third base, you have to be a guy that can drive the ball. Whether it be just doubles or home runs, that's part of my job. I think for us to be a good team and get into the playoffs, I have to do that."
Pittsburgh, which did little in free agency to bolster an offense that finished near the bottom of the majors in every major category, is heavily invested in 28-year-old Hayes returning to form. The Pirates sent him to Los Angeles to see Dr. Robert Watkins, who told Hayes he needed to strengthen his core muscles to take some of the pressure off his back.
"I was like 'Man, I don't know if this is going to work,'" Hayes said. "Because some of the stuff I'm doing, I just had to trust it and pay close attention."
And not just when he's at the gym. Hayes has spent the past few months reteaching himself how to do everything from sitting in a car to lifting a bag to standing upright, all with the idea of trying to make his symptoms as close to "nonexistent" as they can get.
"That's the challenge I have," he said.
After his back started acting up near the end of spring training last year, Hayes' defense took a step back and the somewhat limited power he had in the batter's box vanished. He hit a career-low .233, with just 13 extra-base hits, before the Pirates placed him on the injured list for good in late August.
"Growing up, I never missed games. I never missed anything," Hayes said. "For my peace of mind, I've just got to figure out how to stay on that field because it ain't fun being on the IL. You just feel like you're kind of there. Like you're not helping or contributing."
The Pirates remain bullish on the former first-round pick, who finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. They signed him to an eight-year contract in the spring of 2022 and labeled him a franchise cornerstone. He played like one in 2023, when he hit .271 with 15 homers and 61 RBIs.
"Last year was a grind for him," general manager Ben Cherington said. "If we're getting [him] closer to '22 and '23, that's going to make a big impact on the team."
Hayes reworked his swing over the winter, focusing on finishing with both hands on the bat to put less stress on his side.
"I know it's going to be a lot of work going forward," Hayes said of his new daily regimen. "But that's my job to take that challenge."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.