The Pittsburgh Pirates will reportedly look to trade one of their franchise players before the July 31 Major League Baseball trade deadline.
No, we are not talking about Paul Skenes (despite the continual rumors).
A gifted position player whom Pittsburgh gave a world of cash to a couple of years ago has now become a trade chip, per a new report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
“Two intriguing players are third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes and outfielder Bryan Reynolds,” Nightengale wrote.
“They were each expected to become cornerstone pieces of the franchise and both have struggled, with the Pirates expected to put them on the market at the trade deadline. Reynolds is in the third year of an eight-year, $106.75 million deal, the largest in club history. Hayes is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $70 million extension.”
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Reynolds is slashing .237/.304/.379 this season with seven home runs and 34 RBIs in 224 at-bats (entering Sunday).
As Nightengale mentioned, the two-time All-Star and 2021 National League triples leader is in just the second year of a massive eight-year, $106.8 million deal that Pittsburgh signed him to in April 2023 — the most expensive contract in franchise history.
Reynolds, 30, will be in his age-36 season in the contract’s final season, a $20 million club option in 2031.
The Pirates may float Reynolds out onto the market, and his talent is obvious, but it still might be hard for Pittsburgh to find a suitor willing to take on that kind of money.
More MLB: Pirates provide important trade status update on Paul Skenes
