It's hard to find a hotter hitter on the planet right now than Bryan Reynolds. The Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder has torn the cover off the ball through the first week of the season, helping the Pirates to a surprising 5-2 start.
Entering Saturday's action, Reynolds leads Major League Baseball with 5 home runs, 13 RBIs and a 1.103 slugging percentage. He's also tied for the NL lead in hits with 13.
Reynolds isn't set to become a free agent until after the 2025 season, but the Pirates have been open about contract extension negotiations with the 2021 all-star. Pirates fans have certainly made their stance on Reynolds clear.
Hey @Pirates Pay. This. Man. https://t.co/AsjqhL0JQA
— Kenny (@better_KENny) April 8, 2023
Figure out how much extra you need to pay to get rid of his ‘opt out’ and get it done @Pirates https://t.co/uYi2gqegj3
— Jeff Koontz (@JeffreyKoontzx) April 8, 2023
*Bryan Reynolds in contract negotiations https://t.co/1vwCM9QwAT pic.twitter.com/0lOB9B2BGj
— PEEJ (@PeeJ_10) April 8, 2023
A second-round pick by the San Francisco Giants in 2016, Reynolds burst onto the scene as a rookie with the Pirates in 2019. He finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year Award voting.
Reynolds bounced back from a dreadful 2020 season to make his first all-star appearance in 2021, garnering an 11th-place finish in NL MVP voting. Though his contact numbers were down across the board last year, Reynolds knocked a career-high 27 home runs in 2022.
Reynolds and the Pirates were reportedly close to a deal last month, but differing opinions regarding an opt-out clause have held up negotiations. Pittsburgh is nowhere near a playoff-caliber team, so contenders may be chomping at the bit to claim Reynolds' services sooner rather than later.
If Bryan Reynolds keeps playing as he has in week one of the 2023 season, he'll only help himself in future contract negotiations. The Pirates should act quickly if they want to retain him at a reasonable price.
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