Don’t Write Off One Pirates Veteran Yet

Pirates Veteran Bryan Reynolds Isn’t Finished Yet

A Star is Born

Reynolds came to the Pirates with little fanfare in January 2018. The entire development mostly angered Pirates fans, through no fault of Reynolds. That’s because then-general manager Neal Huntington traded the face of the franchise, Andrew McCutchen, to the San Francisco Giants for Reynolds, pitcher Kyle Crick, and a few international bonus pool farthings. Funny how those things turn out. McCutchen is now Reynolds’ teammate, and it’s Reynolds who’s being paid face-of-the-franchise money.

Reynolds didn’t break camp with the Pirates in 2019, but it wasn’t long before he made his Pirates debut. He was called up on April 20 when popular left fielder Corey Dickerson went on the injured list. All Dickerson did the previous year was hit .300 and win a Gold Glove Award. By the trade deadline, Reynolds was hitting .324. Dickerson was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for more ever-precious international bonus pool money. Dickerson became the Pirates’ Wally Pipp, and Reynolds was in the majors to stay. He finished the year hitting .314/.377/.503, 16 HR, and 68 RBI, and finished in fourth place in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

Reynolds took a big step backward in the 2020 COVID-shortened season. In 2021, however, he bounced back with his best major league season, hitting .302/.390/.522, 24 HR, and 90 RBI. He received a starting nod for the All-Star Game and was worth 6.0 WAR. His numbers dropped a bit in 2022, but he also hit a career-high 27 home runs. Owner Bob Nutting then made up his mind that Reynolds was his man. Extension negotiations became contentious, and it leaked that Reynolds demanded a trade. When it became clear GM Ben Cherington couldn’t bring this deal over the finish line, Nutting got personally involved. So here we are.

A Closer Look at the Numbers

Reynolds was the subject of trade rumors last month until it was revealed he had a contract clause that prohibited the Pirates from trading him to six specified big-market teams. He likes it in Pittsburgh.

With a big contract comes increased scrutiny. Critics point to a steady decline in Reynolds’ OPS from a career-best .912 in 2021 to today. His current slash line is his worst, save for the COVID season. Some hard thinkers have suggested that years of losing with the Pirates have worn Reynolds down, and he’s mentally checked out. Nobody who saw his spectacular diving catch in San Francisco on August 1 or him legging out a triple against the Cincinnati Reds on August 8 would suggest that.

A closer look at the numbers indicates there’s a hitter there. August has been one of the best months of his career. In August, Reynolds is 18-for-49 with three homers, four doubles, the aforementioned triple, 10 RBI, and five walks. For those of you who don’t feel like doing the math, that’s a .367/.426/.673 slash.

There are also statistical indicators that show Reynolds may have been hitting on bad luck all season. His 46.1 percent hard-hit rate is the second-highest in his career, a tick below his 47.1 percent career high in 2023. His 91.1 mph average exit velocity is the highest of his career. He’s hitting the ball as hard – or harder – than ever. It amounts to an xBA of .275, xSLG of .483, and xwOBA of .350, the latter figure putting him in “very good” territory. These numbers don’t suggest an elite hitter, but nobody’s ever suggested he’s elite. What they suggest is a solid hitter.

The Last Word

The 30-year-old switch-hitting Reynolds just might be due for a bounce-back season in 2026. That no-trade clause may be one of the best things that ever happened to the Pirates.