Demilio: If Pirates Don’t Trade Reynolds, They Need To Extend Him (+)
Last week, it was reported that the Pittsburgh Pirates were unlikely to trade 2021 All-Star Bryan Reynolds as teams continue to call general manager Ben Cherington to try and pry Reynolds away from Pittsburgh.
The reasoning is sound from the Pirates’ side of things. For the second straight year, Reynolds was the Pirates’ most consistent producer at the plate.
And for a lineup that largely struggled throughout the season’s entirety, trading away Reynolds would create even larger issues for the Bucs’ offense in 2023.
On the year, Reynolds hit .262 with an .807 OPS in 145 games. He slugged a career-best 27 home runs and drove in 62 runs.
It wasn’t quite the season Reynolds had in 2021, where he hit .302 with a .912 OPS and finished 11th in the National League MVP race, but it was still a strong season nonetheless.
So, if the Pirates are indeed planning to keep Reynolds around, they should be making all efforts to try and extend the 27-year-old.
As it stands right now, Reynolds is under club control through the 2025 season — three more seasons.
Barring something extremely unforeseen, the Pirates again won’t be competing for the playoffs again next year. They should be better than their back-to-back 100 loss seasons, but it’s hard to envision “Buctober” returning yet.
In 2024, the club should take a larger step forward in terms of a playoff push with a crop of young players expected to make their debuts by then. Even so, making the playoffs is no easy task, and the Pirates’ chances of returning to the playoffs look better in 2025 than they do in 2024.
Let’s say the Pirates do indeed make the postseason in 2025 (which is not a guarantee). If Reynolds is still on the team, that would be his last season of his current deal.
So basically with this example, the Pirates would keep Reynolds around for one playoff year before watching him in all likelihood walk in free agency.
That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, does it?
2025 could be the beginning of a playoff window opening for the Pirates, and Reynolds should be a veteran presence around those young clubs.
He’s earned that right and that role by both his play and by his example.
Extending Reynolds’ contract through, 2027 or 2028 season would benefit the Pirates. Reynolds would be a bit on the older side — 33 years on in 2028 — but still young enough to figure to still be productive.
By that time, a move to a corner outfield spot would result in less wear and tear on his body.
All good teams need veteran leadership. The 2013-15 Pirates’ had the likes of guys such as A.J. Burnett and Russell Martin, guys who have grinded their way through lengthy careers.
Then there’s the financial element. We’ve seen the Pirates’ give out one big deal already to third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes at the beginning of last season. Hayes’ deal keeps him in Pittsburgh through at least 2029, well passed when the Bucs should start competing again.
It was a good start to show a commitment to winning, but it can’t stop there.
A Reynolds extension shouldn’t be out of the Pirates’ price range. It would surely take a significant financial commitment, but one any of the 30 teams would be able to afford.
Reynolds himself has previously expressed a desire to remain in Pittsburgh for the long haul.
So if the Pirates do indeed plan on not trading him, the Bucs need to grant Reynolds his wishes and keep him in the black and gold through where the team plans on being competitive again.
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