(Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been surprisingly hot to start the 2023 season.
The team is 16-7 and is ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers by a game in the NL Central.
Pittsburgh lost Oneil Cruz due to an ankle injury, but have continued to play solid baseball.
And on Tuesday, Pirates fans received some good news when it was announced that star outfielder Bryan Reynolds had been given an eight-year, $106.75 million contract extension.
Reynolds had previously requested a trade this past offseason, but seems to have had a change of heart.
On Twitter, Pirates writer Rob Biertempfel made an interesting note, that Reynolds’ new contract is the largest ever signed by an outfielder who was drafted out of college.
Sources: Bryan Reynolds, Pirates agree to $106.75M for 2023-2030 with team option for 2031. There is a form of trade protection, but NO opt out.
It’s the largest extension ever for an outfielder who was drafted out of college.
— RobBiertempfel (@RobBiertempfel) April 25, 2023
This is an interesting fact about Reynolds’ new contract.
According to Jeff Passan, the deal is also the largest in Pirates history.
But during the offseason, it appeared that Reynolds’ days in a Pirates uniform were numbered, especially after he had requested a trade.
Pittsburgh wasn’t terribly active over the winter, with their biggest moves being the signings of Carlos Santana, Andrew McCutchen, and Rich Hill.
However, with them playing solid baseball to start the season, Reynolds seems to have changed his mind and is prepared to play out a good portion of his career in Pittsburgh.
Reynolds was drafted by the San Francisco Giants and came to Pittsburgh in the same deal that sent McCutchen to San Francisco in 2018.
The deal will last through the 2030 season and includes a club option for the 2031 season.
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