What is Bryan Reynolds’ legacy as a Pirate?

Please tell me he doesn’t get traded or leave in free-agency!

The career of Bryan Reynolds as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates to this point has certainly been memorable. Drafted in the second round by the San Francisco Giants in 2016 and then traded to Pittsburgh in 2018, Reynolds since his major league debut in 2019 has largely been very productive. Since the departure of Andrew McCutchen (whom was traded for Reynolds) Reynolds has regularly been one of the best outfielders for the Pirates and has been named to two All-Star teams, this most recent one in Arlington coming off of a 25-game hitting streak.

So the question is simple: is Bryan Reynolds an all-time great Bucco, or is he just another star that could eventually depart for greener pastures?

The numbers since his big league debut in April of 2019 have once again been mostly impressive. He’s just shy of a .280 career batting average, just over a .350 OBP, and dominates in the OPS department, with a career .831 and a season best of .912 in 2021. I mentioned the All-Star selections, the 25-game hitting streak which is the most ever by a Pirates’ switch hitter, and he has always ranked in the top 25 of various offensive stats.

Of course, Reynolds also became the richest Pirate in team history with a franchise record eight-year contract worth $106.75 million. This extension came after several rumors that Reynolds would be traded or sit out because of the contract disputes that nearly saw him being moved. Since that though, Reynolds has been a major contributor on the team, having flashes of a potential MVP contender who is certainly in their prime.

Given that he was a part of the trade that saw McCutchen get sent to the Giants, it feels fair to say that Reynolds is maybe the best position player since his departure. An integral piece in this new era for Pirates’ baseball, Reynolds along with players like Ke’Bryan Hayes and Mitch Keller have helped the franchise see this turn around in to finding more success. Keller was named to an All-Star team himself, and Hayes was awarded a Gold Glove, so clearly this team needs players like this, and Reynolds has certainly stood out through these times.

This year saw the 29-year old have a slow start, but of course he had an offensive explosion with nearly a month straight of hits generated, helping to buoy his numbers. He is currently hitting .288 with 18 homers, 61 RBIs, and has an OPS of .839, all of which ranks in the top 25 in all of baseball.

Reynolds is under contract until he turns 35-years old, and if he stays at the pace that he’s at now, he could find himself ranking highly amongst the team’s above average to elite, especially amongst switch hitters of which he is already on pace to be one of the franchise’s best in that regard. More awards would bolster his status as an all-time Pirate great, but his level of play coupled with some championship hardware would put him over the top.

Part of me is still hesitant to commit to a future where Reynolds is a Pirate long term because we’ve seen this far too many times before. McCutchen, Starling Marte, and Gerrit Cole were all players with so much promise, and so much potential to be great Pirates. Unfortunately for one reason or another, these players and plenty more were sent away from the team, and this too could be the fate for Reynolds, but I’m holding out some hope.

For the time being, the lunchpail attitude is one that endears me to a player, and Bryan Reynolds is the true definition of a blue-collar player, who in a city like Pittsburgh fits in better than Iron City with a Primanti Bro’s sandwich. As long as he’s a Bucco, I will cheer for Reynolds, and hope that he doesn’t suffer the same fate that McCutchen did in the prime of his career.