Reds Activate Eugenio Suárez; Place Ke’Bryan Hayes on IL

The Cincinnati Reds activated designated hitter Eugenio Suárez from the 10-day injured list on Friday, providing a potential boost for a struggling offense. In a corresponding roster move, the team placed third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes on the 10-day injured list with a lumbar bulging disc, retroactive to May 21.

Suárez returns after missing nearly a month with a mild left oblique strain. Signed to a one-year, $15 million free-agent contract in February, the veteran had a slow start to the season, batting .231 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 25 games prior to his injury. Manager Terry Francona indicated the team plans to ease Suárez back into action, likely playing him in two of three games over the weekend. Francona said the team needs to pick its spots early to avoid overexertion.

Hayes’s placement on the IL addresses a recurring back issue. Francona told reporters that back spasms had reached a point where they were interfering, prompting the decision to allow Hayes time to fully recover. The manager also suggested Hayes’s rehabilitation process would include work on his offensive mechanics at the team’s spring training facility in Arizona. Hayes, acquired from the...