The Pirates reportedly offered OF Bryan Reynolds a six-year contract worth $75m, an offer so low as to be insulting. Reynolds and the Pirates are said to be $50m apart.
How much is Reynolds really worth?
This puts me in the odd position of saying Pirates owner Bob Nutting shouldn’t spend money.
Sooner or later, Nutting needs to retain his best player. (But he won’t.) Right now, Reynolds is the Pirates’ best player. (With Oneil Cruz quickly gaining ground.)
But Reynolds isn’t a superstar. He’s also 28.
The Pirates have three more years of club control with Reynolds. Perhaps that’s long enough to get the best out of him, then deal him at the 2025 trade deadline. There’s currently no hurry to make a decision.
Reynolds hit .262 with 27 home runs and 62 RBI last year. His OPS was .807.
Those are decent numbers, but no better. Andrew McCutchen, at 35, had 69 RBI last season.
Speaking of McCutchen, he was 28 during the 2015 season. That year, he finished among the top five in NL MVP voting for the fourth straight time. McCutchen won NL MVP in 2013. Reynolds’ highest finish in NL MVP voting is a mere 11th in 2021.
McCutchen had 151 career HR when he was 28. Reynolds has 74.
Reynolds now isn’t McCutchen then. Not even close.
It would be good if the Pirates kept Reynolds into his free agency. But if not, they wouldn’t be losing Roberto Clemente.
Photo: Getty Images