Expecting the New York Yankees to do their due diligence on the best available options is pretty standard for general manager Brian Cashman, and that is no different with the ongoing Bryan Reynolds situation. But chasing every big-name player is not always the right path to take, and that’s the direction the Yankees should go here.

Current Yankees Roster

Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Harrison Bader, and even Oswaldo Cabrera headline the outfield depth chart for the Yankees, and any sort of move to acquire Reynolds would likely force one of these five options out the door.

Hicks and Cabrera both would be the likeliest options to be playing elsewhere next season, but sending at least one of those players out the door does not guarantee a better roster for the Yankees. Of the two, Hicks is definitely the most obvious (based on his offensive shortcomings and declining performance), but there is something to be said when it comes to having a valuable veteran presence on the roster.

Their outfield depth is probably one of the strongest areas of their entire roster, as they are strong from top to bottom. Cashman absolutely would be able to find playing time for Reynolds, and he would form a solid pairing with Judge, but at what cost?

Acquisition Cost

From a financial perspective, Reynolds is on an incredibly-cheap two-year, $13.5 million deal that he signed back in April 2022. That acquisition cost alone makes him an intriguing target for the Yankees, but that cheap contract also raises what the Pirates will be seeking in terms of a return package.

Staggering reports of a ‘Soto-like’ deal for Reynolds may be a bit overblown, but the Pirates absolutely should ask that much for their 27-year-old franchise superstar. Teams would love to add a talent like Reynolds to their roster, but most will likely rebuff any sort of acquisition if the return needs to be that high.

Financial Outlook

The final piece is compensation for Reynolds, who immediately should (and likely will) ask for a contract extension. It is no secret that money is not an issue for the Yankees to just throw around, but any sort of long-term extension for Reynolds will only make their future payroll that much tougher to deal with, especially when their high-priced players grow old.

Even if just considering a five-year extension for Reynolds, you would expect that deal to be around $100 million, something that likely won’t be a hurdle for the Yankees to overcome but certainly should make them pause.

It would not be surprising to see Reynolds end up in pinstripes this offseason, but the Yankees should bow out of the sweepstakes before they become too invested. The Pirates are asking for a ton in a deal for Reynolds (as they should), and while having young prospects to move helps the Yankees here, they too need to try and covet some of those assets.