Pirates Place Ke'Bryan Hayes on IL

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes on the 10-day injured list due to lower back inflammation, marking his second stint this season and fifth in three years. Hayes has struggled this year, batting only .233 with a career-low .573 OPS and showing significant decline in recent games, including a .071 average over his last seven games. To fill his roster spot, the Pirates called up outfielder/first baseman Billy McKinney, who has performed well in Triple-A, and recalled reliever Hunter Stratton while designating Ryder Ryan for assignment. McKinney, acquired from the Yankees, had a strong season in the minors, hitting .295 with five home runs. Additionally, Joshua Palacios was optioned back to Triple-A after completing his rehab assignment for a hamstring injury. These moves come as the Pirates aim to improve their roster ahead of their series against the Texas Rangers.