Yankees dream trade target might soon be unavailable

If you follow baseball, you’ve probably heard of the Yankees rumors surrounding the team’s interest in Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds.

The New York Yankees rumors surrounding Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds have been circulating for what seems like forever. With the Pirates unable to make much headway in the rebuild, it’s no wonder these whispers of a trade to the Bronx don’t go away.

The Pirates have been in the NL Central basement for what seems like forever. The Buccos did have company last year when the Cincinnati Reds tied Pittsburgh for last place in the division, so at least there’s hope for a fourth-place finish in 2023.

Yankees rumors: Pirates OF Bryan Reynolds might soon be unavailable

But, there’s reason for optimism in the Steel City. The latest reports coming from Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting, courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s Jason Mackey, suggests that the a contract extension might be on the horizon.

Reynolds requested a trade earlier this offseason after the outfielder received, what he perceived to be, a low-ball offer from the Pirates. Reports claim that Pittsburgh offered Reynolds a six-year/$80-million contract. However, Reynolds had his sights set on a deal worth $134-million.

Nutting now claims that the Pirates are working hard to “bridge the gap”. To be honest, $54-million seems like a mighty large gap to bridge for the fiscally-conservative Pirates organization, so perhaps Yankees fans shouldn’t give up hope all together.

Reynolds has been a star since debuting with the Pirates back in 2019. Reynolds placed fourth in the Rookie of the Year vote that season and went to the All-Star Game in 2021. Last year, Reynolds slashed .262/.345/.461 with 27 home runs.

These latest Yankees rumors won’t sit well with the fans in New York. However, with Harrison Bader set to occupy center field and the potential of shuffling the outfield configuration in order to get both Aaron Judge and Giancarolo Stanton into the everyday lineup, perhaps the Yankees will be just fine without the addition of Bryan Reynolds.