Pirates' Reynolds reveals what it would take to sign extension

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Pirates OF Bryan Reynolds reveals what it would take to sign extension

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 2/15/23

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds requested a trade in December but hasn't entirely closed the door on remaining with the low-spending club.

"I’ll sign a fair deal," Reynolds told reporters Wednesday, per Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic. "I don’t want it to be an unfair team deal. I don’t want either side of it to come out and be like, 'Man, they kind of got us.' I want it to be that both sides got some skin in it."

Biertempfel reports that Reynolds and the Pirates were "about $50 million apart" on a potential six-year contract in December. The 28-year-old said on Wednesday that he and the club have "a difference of opinion" regarding his worth.

Reynolds is a one-time All-Star who slashed .262/.345/.461 with 27 home runs and 62 RBI in 145 games and 542 at-bats last season. Perhaps most importantly as it pertains to his future, his rights are under club control until after the 2025 campaign. Pittsburgh, thus, doesn't have to trade Reynolds any time soon, and Biertempfel noted that Pirates general manager Ben Cherington is "asking other teams for a massive return for Reynolds."

Reynolds has routinely been linked with the New York Yankees since the fall, but Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweeted back on Dec. 22 that the Bronx Bombers may not be able to match Pittsburgh's asking price:

Sources: #Yankees among teams in contact with #Pirates on Bryan Reynolds over recent weeks; one obstacle to a trade is that Pittsburgh prefers starting pitchers to headline the return and top end of Yankees’ system is deeper in position players. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 22, 2022

For a piece published Tuesday, The Athletic's Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty "boldly" predicted the Yankees will find a way to trade for Reynolds because they need a top-tier option in left field.

"The Yankees have title aspirations, and it’s hard imagining them not trying to upgrade left field with the best possible candidate available," Kirschner said.

Meanwhile, Spotrac points out that the much-maligned ownership of the Pirates has the club ranked 28th overall in "real-time" payroll totals for each team.

"I don’t think it will be a distraction for me," Reynolds said about the trade request and his contract desires amid the early days of spring training. "I’m down here a week early and already starting to get my work going. Just going to focus on the same thing I always focus on. Just trying to be the best player and try to help us win and do whatever I need to."

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