Even with three games already in the books on the Pirates’ 2023 season, Bryan Reynolds’ contract status is still the biggest story in Pittsburgh baseball, given the reports from earlier this week suggesting the two sides had made a lot of progress towards an extension.
The deal in question appears to be an eight-year, $106M pact, yet the sticking point appears to be the Pirates’ reluctance to include an opt-out clause for Reynolds following the 2026 season.
It isn’t clear if anything has changed in talks, as Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hears from both sides that, essentially, they “haven’t heard anything” about any further progress. Mackey notes that GM Ben Cherington didn’t mention anything about Reynolds or the contract talks during his weekly radio show Sunday, though naturally it would’ve been a little surprising to hear an executive make any significant public comment on contract negotiations that (apparently) are still ongoing.
Opening Day was reportedly viewed as a deadline to get an extension finalized, and while that deadline was completely unofficial, it begs the question or whether or not Reynolds and the Bucs can solve the impasse soon or if the matter might be tabled until the offseason ... or, if Reynolds might be traded elsewhere before the deadline.
More NL Central items….
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!