Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras blocked the plate, but Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes still scored the winning run. Hayes was injured on the play.
The Bucs’ celebration was less than energetic, however, as Hayes injured his shoulder on the play. The richest player in Pirates history was in clear pain after trying to slide around Contreras’ tag.
Unfortunately, the Cubs’ catcher had the right away, and Hayes is no longer allowed to knock Contreras over ala the Buster Posey rule. That rule is as follows:
“A runner may not run out of a direct line to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher, or any player, covering the plate.”
Simple enough to follow. While Hayes didn’t break said rule, he did put himself at risk with a creative, yet ultimately tough slide.
Pirates vs Cubs: Did Willson Contreras injure Ke’Bryan Hayes?
No, he did not. The right of way belongs to Contreras in this instance, and Hayes did all he could to avoid him. It was a legal play on both ends, but an unfortunate end result. You can see Contreras visibly concerned about Hayes after the play, as he knows neither player did anything wrong.
Thankfully, per Shelton, Hayes appears to okay. While he was in pain in the immediate aftermath, he was able to walk off the field with the Pirates training staff and Shelton.
We’ll have more news on Hayes injury status when it becomes available.