Bryan Reynolds' trade request caught the attention of the MLB world during the early portion of this past offseason. The Pittsburgh Pirates immeditaely said they didn't want to trade the star outfielder. Pittsburgh reportedly offered Reynolds a contract extension that was far below what he was looking for.
The Pirates are now reportedly trying to sign Reynolds to a contract extension once again ahead of Opening Day, per Jon Heyman.
The Pirates still have Reynolds under team control through the 2025 campaign. But the last thing they want to do is hold onto a frustrated Reynolds while continuing to miss the playoffs. Reynolds would likely be more open to signing an extension if the Pirates improved their roster enough to compete. Additionally, the dollar amount obviously has to appeal to him as well.
Bryan Reynolds has emerged as one of the better outfielders in baseball over the past two years. He made the NL All-Star team in 2021, a season that saw Reynolds finish with a .302 batting average, .912 OPS, and 24 home runs. In 2022, Reynolds hit just .262 with an .807 OPS, but he blasted a career-high 27 home runs.
He offers steady defense in the outfield and is a talented hitter with pop from both sides of the plate. Reynolds, upon his initial trade request, was linked to a number of teams including the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
If a contract extension fails to come to fruition prior to Opening Day, it will be interesting to monitor Pittsburgh's approach during the July trade deadline. If the Pirates are out of contention, Bryan Reynolds will once again be a popular trade candidate.
For now, the Pirates are hoping to extend their star player.
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