Pirates avoid arbitration with Bryan Reynolds by signing All-Star CF to 2-year, $13.5M contract

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a file-and-trial policy when it comes to arbitration, attempting to avoid a hearing by reaching a settlement but not negotiating after MLB’s salary exchange date.

They made an exception for Bryan Reynolds.

Twenty three days after a $650,000 difference separated their salary requests, the Pirates avoided arbitration Thursday with the All-Star center fielder when Reynolds signed a two-year, $13.5 million contract that will pay him $6.75 million this season and next.

“I always hoped this would be the outcome and it was the outcome, so I’d say this was a win-win,” Reynolds said. “I don’t think anybody ever wants to go to a hearing. For me, personally, I love Pittsburgh. I love my teammates and everything like that. To knock it out quickly like we did and to land where we’re at, I think it worked out really well.”

Pirates CF Bryan Reynolds talks about signing two-year, $13.5 million contract to avoid arbitration. pic.twitter.com/sxHvbnY6Ls

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) April 14, 2022

Reynolds had asked for $4.9 million while the Pirates countered with $4.25 million, considered a low-ball offer that drew criticism amid reports that the club was listening to trade offers. With Super 2 status, Reynolds is eligible for four years of arbitration, so the Pirates have four years of club control beyond the contract before he becomes eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.

“We respect Bryan so much as a player, as a person,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. “We work hard to settle these things before exchange and for whatever reason we just didn’t get quite there this time with Bryan so we wanted to keep that door open and see if there was a way to find a different solution. I’m thankful we did.”

Pirates GM Ben Cherington talks about avoiding arbitration with Bryan Reynolds by signing the All-Star CF to a 2-year, $13.5M contract. pic.twitter.com/nxGVaLAb43

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) April 14, 2022

The signing of Reynolds comes a week after the Pirates agreed to an eight-year, $70 million contract extension with third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, who finalized his deal before Tuesday’s home opener.

“I think it’s great,” Reynolds said. “We’ve got a bunch of good players that are already here. We’ve got a bunch of good young guys in the minor leagues. I really think we’ve got the bones to be a good, competitive team. The fact that I get to be part of that for at least the next four years is great.”

Acquired from the San Francisco Giants in January 2018 in exchange for former NL MVP and five-time All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen, Reynolds made his major league debut in 2019 and is batting .289 with an .854 OPS, 78 doubles, 14 triples, 48 homers and 178 RBIs in 353 games with the Pirates.

Reynolds, 27, made $601,000 last season, when he slashed .302/.390/.522 with 35 doubles, eight triples, 24 home runs and 90 RBIS in 159 games. He switched from left field to center in late April, earned his first All-Star selection and was a finalist for the NL Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton discusses the importance of having Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes signed to contracts beyond 2022. pic.twitter.com/fCCIjAgLEv

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) April 14, 2022

“When you get a guy of his caliber and we get a commitment and get something off our table that we don’t have to deal with during the season, very excited. I think organizationally it was a great move,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said, emphasizing the importance of having both Hayes and Reynolds signed beyond this season.

“We’re talking about two guys who exemplify things that we want in our culture, who play the game the right way and do things the way we expect. It’s really important, and I think it just sets a good model for us moving forward.”

Both Hayes and Reynolds see it as a sign of the Pirates taking a new direction. Since trading McCutchen and Gerrit Cole in January 2018, the Pirates have dealt a parade of their top players for prospects while compiling the worst record in baseball over the past three seasons.

The Pirates traded All-Stars in outfielder Starling Marte (Arizona), first baseman Josh Bell (Washington) and Adam Frazier (San Diego), former Opening Day starters in Joe Musgrove (San Diego) and Jameson Taillon (New York Yankees), closer Richard Rodriguez (Atlanta) and an NL Gold Glove winner in catcher Jacob Stallings (Miami). Last year, the Pirates had MLB’s lowest Opening Day payroll at $45.2 million; this year, it’s closer to $55 million.

Ke’Bryan Hayes reacts to Bryan Reynolds signing 2-year, $13.5M contract and whether it changes narrative about Pirates. pic.twitter.com/w4io2TqWud

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) April 14, 2022

The Reynolds news was welcomed by Hayes, who said the emphasis on drafting and developing the top talent in the farm system and the commitment to young, core position players like himself and Reynolds was “part of the reason I signded.”

“I feel like we’re moving in the right direction,” Hayes said. “It’s amazing to have a guy like that, middle of the order type of guy, was in contention for the Gold Glove, All-Star, all that stuff last year. He’s expressed that he wants to stay here. It’s awesome to get a guy like that, keep him here for two years. That’s really good for our team.”

Reynolds is hoping that the two contracts are proof that the Pirates are trying to change the narrative about their penny-pinching on major league payroll, and pointed to a productive conversation with chairman Bob Nutting, team president Travis Williams, Cherington and Shelton on Wednesday as a positive sign that “things are definitely taking steps in the right direction.”

“I’m happy we were able to work out something with both of them,” Cherington said. “They both shared with us a desire for our energy to be on the field, working towards getting better and building something. I believe they want to be a part of that. They love to play. They love to be around their teammates. They’d rather be focused on that than anything else.”