Pirates and star outfielder have 'conceptual issue' in contract talks
The ongoing contract saga between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Bryan Reynolds took another turn on Thursday as the two sides continue to struggle on a new agreement.
The newest issue is some sort of "conceptual issue" in how a potential extension is structured.
That report came from baseball insider Jon Heyman just before the Pirates began their 2023 regular season in Cincinnati.
There is no word on what those "conceptual issues" actually are, but the fact the sides are reportedly at least in the same ballpark on money seems significant. Speculating on what those issues are, it could be something related to no-trade protections or front-loading the deal vs. back-loading the deal.
The big issue earlier this offseason centered around the Pirates and Reynolds being extremely far apart on dollars, with the Pirates offering something in the neighborhood of $76 million and Reynolds wanting more than $130 million. Obviously, that was a significant gap. That gap led to Reynolds requesting a trade, but the Pirates never seemed to get close to doing so.
In the week leading up to the season the two sides re-started contract talks and had an unofficial deadline set for first pitch on opening day.
Talks could still continue, especially if they really have come closer on the dollars.
If they do manage to sign a deal it would probably be the largest contract the Pirates have ever given to a player.
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