Bryan Reynolds has been the topic of commerce rumors for fairly a while, on condition that he’s been a powerful performer on a rebuilding Pirates membership. Loads of groups across the league have reportedly expressed an curiosity in his companies, together with the Yankees, Blue Jays, Marlins, Purple Sox, Braves, Rockies and Mariners. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic provides the Rangers to the record, reporting that buying Reynolds is one avenue they’re contemplating of their pursuit of outfield upgrades.
The curiosity of the Rangers, and all the opposite golf equipment, is completely comprehensible given how Reynolds has carried out to date in his profession. He debuted in 2019, hitting 16 residence runs and batting .314/.377/.503 for a wRC+ of 130. He struggled badly within the shortened 2020 season however was again in type over the previous two campaigns. Over 2021 and 2022, he hit 51 homers and stole 12 bases whereas strolling in 10.4% of his plate appearances and hanging out in simply 20.6% of them. He produced a slash line of .282/.368/.492 over these campaigns for a wRC+ of 133, indicating he was 33% higher than the league common hitter. That mark put him within the prime 25 amongst all certified hitters in that stretch, as was his 9.0 wins above substitute from FanGraphs.
Regardless of the excessive quantity of curiosity across the league, the Bucs have but to place a deal along with many sources highlighting their asking value as being very excessive. Jon Heyman of The New York Submit stories on the Reynolds matter in the present day and reiterates that framing, with one supply characterizing Pittsburgh’s asks as “unrealistic.” Regardless of the apparently sky excessive asking costs, Heyman stories that the Yankees are one of many groups that’s “constantly” concerned about Reynolds.
In fact, the Pirates are beneath no obligation to discover a commerce for Reynolds, regardless that he has reportedly requested one. He’s not slated to succeed in free company till after the 2025 marketing campaign and the membership might plausibly return to rivalry in that window. If nobody blows them away with a monumental provide, they will merely hold onto Reynolds as their rebuild progresses.
There’s additionally the opportunity of an extension, although there doesn’t appear to be a whole lot of optimism in that division for the time being. Latest reporting had indicated that the 2 sides had been about $50MM aside of their negotiations, with Heyman offering some extra particulars on these talks in the present day. He says the membership supplied $75MM over six years whereas Reynolds and his representatives had been asking for one thing a bit decrease than the eight-year, $168MM extension Matt Olson bought from Atlanta.
The Olson comparability is an attention-grabbing one, although not an ideal analogue. When Olson signed his extension in March of final yr, he was two years away from free company, one yr nearer than Reynolds is now. However from an on-field comparability, there’s some logic to it. Each gamers had a swoon within the 2020 season however had three robust campaigns round it. Olson’s 4 years from 2018 to 2021 resulted in a batting line of .254/.348/.501 and a wRC+ of 130. Reynolds, from 2019 to the current, had much less energy however a greater batting common, resulting in a slash line of .281/.361/.481 and a wRC+ of 126. Olson produced 12.8 fWAR towards a 12.5 mark for Reynolds. Olson was about to show 28 when his deal was signed, identical as Reynolds now.
Given the same stage of manufacturing, it’s not stunning that Reynolds’ camp would set that Olson determine as a goal. The one yr distinction of their timelines will restrict Reynolds considerably, however Heyman does report that their ask is certainly decrease than that. How a lot decrease isn’t recognized nevertheless it appears to be nicely past Pittsburgh’s present consolation zone. Their six-year provide would appear to take Reynolds by way of his age-33 season, whereas Reynolds appears to be making an attempt to get one other couple years and undergo his age-35 season. That doesn’t imply that talks are essentially doomed, as giant gaps can typically be shortly overcome. Not too way back, the Purple Sox and Rafael Devers had been reportedly about $100MM aside of their negotiations earlier than the membership determined to step up and meet his asking value.
For now, it appears Reynolds is destined to have his identify pop up in commerce rumors till a deal comes collectively, whether or not that’s a commerce or an extension. The curiosity from the Rangers is sort of smart, because the prime gadgets on their to-do record this winter have been the rotation and the outfield. They addressed the rotation in an enormous approach by re-signing Martín Pérez whereas signing Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney and buying and selling for Jake Odorizzi. The outfield, nevertheless, has but to be addressed.
As issues stand now, Adolis Garcia appears to have a lock on proper area whereas Leody Taveras can present a glove-first possibility in middle. Left area, nevertheless, is much much less sure with Josh Smith, Bubba Thompson, Brad Miller, Ezequiel Duran and Mark Mathias among the choices. Miller, Smith and Duran have every spent extra time on the infield of their careers and are coming off subpar seasons on the plate. Mathias simply came to visit from the Brewers within the Matt Bush commerce and hit nicely down the stretch, however he’s additionally extra of an infielder who can play the outfield in a pinch than an on a regular basis possibility on the grass.
Thompson is arguably probably the most easy resolution at the moment on the roster. He has wonderful velocity, having stolen 49 bases within the minors final yr and one other 18 within the majors. Nevertheless, he strikes out quite a bit, together with in 30.9% of his 181 main league plate appearances to date. That led to a .265/.302/.312 slash line and a 77 wRC+ regardless of a .389 batting common on balls in play.
It’s attainable that one member of that group might take the job and run with it nevertheless it behooves the Rangers to search for upgrades in the event that they plan on competing in 2023. Probably the most interesting free agent outfielders have already signed, leaving AJ Pollock and David Peralta as among the finest names nonetheless out there. Rosenthal provides that these are two of the names being thought of by the Rangers alongside Reynolds.
Reynolds is definitely a extra engaging possibility than these guys, particularly for a Rangers membership that’s beginning to get close to the luxurious tax. The membership’s aggressive steadiness tax determine is at the moment $220MM, per the calculations of Roster Useful resource. That places them inside hanging distance of the bottom tax threshold, which is $233MM this yr. Reynolds goes to be making $6.75MM this yr as a part of the two-year deal he signed with the Bucs final yr, with two additional arbitration journeys to come back.
Including that type of wage to their books would permit the Rangers to make an enormous outfield improve whereas staying beneath the tax for now. In fact, that mixture of low wage and excessive expertise is what makes him so interesting as a commerce candidate and why the Pirates are asking for the moon in return. The Rangers have proven loads of willingness at hand out big free agent offers over the previous couple of years however whether or not they would have urge for food for parting with premium prospects in an effort to improve the roster is one other query.
Including somebody like Pollock or Peralta probably would additionally probably permit the Rangers to remain beneath the tax, as they aren’t anticipated to fetch big salaries. Nevertheless, their anticipated impression is definitely beneath that of Reynolds. Pollock, 35, hit .245/.292/.389 final yr for a wRC+ of 92. Peralta, additionally 35, had a powerful first half with the Diamondbacks however wilted after a commerce to the Rays, hitting .255/.317/.335 for a wRC+ of 91.
