Hayes (back) is not expected to return before the end of the 2024 season, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Assistant general manager Kevan Graves effectively closed the door on a return for Hayes, saying Sunday that he "wouldn't anticipate seeing [Hayes] competing on the field before the end of the season here," and adding that "it's just too short of a window." Hayes has been on the shelf since mid-August, and he took a massive step backward on the field this season, slashing just .233/.283/.290 across 396 plate appearances.