Yankees 'Very Much' in on Bryan Reynolds After Outfielder Requests Trade From Pirates
Bryan Reynolds, who requested a trade from the Pirates on Saturday, has been linked to the Yankees once again.
New York is "very much" in on Reynolds, per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"They're on it," Mackey wrote in a post on Twitter, prefacing that this isn't exactly breaking news.
The Yankees have been reportedly eyeing Reynolds for quite some time. Last winter, New York showed "significant interest" in the Pirates' switch-hitting outfielder according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. Those rumors picked back up this summer leading up to the trade deadline. The Yankees never stopped calling Pittsburgh about Reynolds, according to a report from Jim Bowden of The Athletic in July.
Reynolds ended up staying put, but his relationship with the Pirates is evidently far from resolved. Extension talks between the outfielder and Pittsburgh recently hit an impasse, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post.
Reynolds is under team control through the 2025 season, an outfielder that turns 28 in January. Even after a slight regression from his career year in 2021—Reynolds hit .262/.345/.461 over 145 games this year—he is an especially valuable asset at a premium position.
That in mind, it's safe to assume that the asking price for Reynolds would be astronomical. That's if Pittsburgh actually makes the All-Star available—the Pirates released a statement after Reynolds' request, saying this situation won't impact how they act this offseason.
The Yankees aren't necessarily a perfect fit for Reynolds, considering they already have Harrison Bader in center field, but it's no surprise New York is showing interest. Reynolds could serve as New York's left fielder, an upgrade from Aaron Hicks or infielder Oswaldo Cabrera, the best internal options for the Yankees at the position with the way their roster currently stands. The alternative would be to sign a free agent to fill that hole, an available asset like Andrew Benintendi, Brandon Nimmo or Japanese star Masataka Yoshida.
Reynolds could also help the Yankees soften the blow of Aaron Judge departing in free agency if the superstar slugger chooses to leave this winter.
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