Pirates Get Terrible News on Bryan Reynolds Contract Talks

In just his first eligible season, Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star center fielder Bryan Reynolds is heading to an arbitration hearing. This is nothing new for the Pirates, who are considered a “file and trial” and commonly opt for arbiter hearings as opposed to negotiations with a player.

Pittsburgh's lack of a long-term plan for their rising star is what makes this news especially troubling. According to Reynolds, discussions of a long-term contract extensions were not mentioned once during the initial arbitration talks between his agent and the club.

Bryan Reynolds Pirates

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Reynolds was by far the best player on Pittsburgh's 61-win team last year. He finished the All-Star campaign with a .302/.390/.522 slash line along with a league-leading eight triples, and 24 home runs, 90 RBIs and 35 doubles. Not even to mention he finished as a Gold Glove finalist in center field.

This arbitration hearing will not influence Pittsburgh's short-term future with Reynolds, who remains under team control until 2025. There's still a distinct possibility the two sides could reach a contract extension before then, but Pittsburgh has been known to operate on an extremely tight budget.

Reynolds even expressed his interest in staying with the team long-term. But, the lack of these discussions and his clear talent on the diamond is a perplexing situation for Pirates fans.

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