Pirates' Bryan Reynolds still seeking trade or extension

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Bryan Reynolds wants the Pirates to show him the money or send him packing.

Pittsburgh's star outfielder reiterated Wednesday that he would prefer to be traded since he and the team have not been able to come to terms on a long-term deal.

"I don't want to get too much into it, but there's a bit of a difference of an opinion in, I don't know, I guess what we view my worth is as a player," Reynolds told reporters upon reporting to spring training. "That's where we ended up."

It's specifically because of that chasm that Reynolds is asking out.

"I think I’ve been pretty open over the past few years that my No. 1 would be to sign an extension in Pittsburgh," Reynolds said. "But I want that to be a fair deal for both sides — not one side or the other. Not a crazy player-, not a crazy team-deal. That’s always been my No. 1."

The switch-hitting Reynolds has been one of the better outfielders in the National League since he was called up to the majors in 2019. He's hit north of .300 in two of his four MLB seasons, finishing fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2019 and earning an All-Star nod in 2021.

Reynolds has had a bit more pop in his bat over the past couple of seasons, too. He smacked 24 homers (to go along with a league-best eight triples) in 2021 and a career-high 27 in 2022. But most of his hitting stats went down from 2021 to 2022. He went from a .302/.390/.522 slash line to a .262/.345/.461 slash line last season. Reynolds also knocked in 28 fewer runs in 2022 (62). 

While he's understandably looking to cash in after a record-spending offseason across the majors, the 28-year-old Reynolds is under team control through the 2025 season. Moreover, the Pirates have indicated they have no plans of trading him.

"While it is disappointing, this will have zero impact on our decision-making this offseason or in the future," the Pirates said in a statement in response to Reynolds' trade request in December. "Our goal is to improve the Pirates for 2023 and beyond. With three years until he hits free agency, Bryan remains a key member of our team. We look forward to him having a great season for the Pirates."

Reynolds appears committed to that, as well. He reported to spring training five days before Pirates outfielders were scheduled to.

"I wanted to get down here and get to work," Reynolds said. "Finally have a semi-normal spring training for once."

That isn't to say he'll change his stance regarding a trade or extension. Reynolds reiterated he's been "frustrated" about negotiations, especially because he enjoys playing for the Pirates.

"I’ve always said I like playing here," Reynolds said. "I like the city, I like the fans, I like the stadium. We like living in Pittsburgh for half the year. I’m happy. I like my teammates, I like the staff, I like all that."

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