The Pittsburgh Pirates have reportedly come to an extension agreement with star Bryan Reynolds, per insider Jon Heyman.

The Pirates haven’t been much of an eye-catching team the past few years, but they seem to be up-and-coming as they have a talented roster and a lot of early-season success. They currently sit atop the NL Central standings. This is undoubtedly impressive as they’ve placed last in the division every season since 2018 and haven’t finished higher than fourth since 2015.

They’ve evidently put in a lot of work to improve their roster, and though it’s showing signs of paying off this season, they’re still putting in the work by making sure they keep their best players.

Extending Reynolds is one of the best decisions they could’ve made during these early signs of success.

Bryan Reynolds Is Crucial to Pirates Future Success

Reynolds has been with the Pirates since making his MLB debut in 2019, and he’s been a solid, reliable source of power since. He had a bit of a rough season in 2020, which is a tough season to gauge as it was partial from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall, he’s averaged .282/.359/.484 for an OPS of .843. While he’s not among the best players in the league, he hits above average and is undoubtedly a threat in the lineup. He’s also a leader in Pittsburgh, leading the team in hits (25), RBIs (18), batting average (.294), slugging percentage (.553), OPS (.872) and is tied with Jack Suwinski for most home runs (5).

He led the NL in triples in 2021 and was named to the All-Star team the same season. Last season, he was the only Pirates player to be nominated for a Silver Slugger award.

The Pirates still have good players without him, like Suwinski, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Carlos Santana, but nobody is a reliable Pittsburgh veteran like Reynolds. Reynolds is a leader, and with several newer players coming up from the farm, he’s an important part in the team dynamic in addition to being an effective player.

If the Pirates can keep the talent in their farm system while extending their promising players, they could become a big threat in the league over the next few seasons.

– Rylie Smith

@RylieS_14

*Photo Courtesy of AP News*