The New York Yankees still have several things to figure out from this point until the start of the season. Who is going to play third base? Who will win the shortstop battle? Are they just going to hand over left field to Aaron Hicks? Or will Oswaldo Cabrera man the position?
They have a third option as far as left field is concerned: trading for Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds. They have shown interest in him for a while, but there is a problem.
According to the New York Post, one interested team executive called the Pirates requests “unrealistic,” and another team’s exec said there’s nothing happening now, but they “hold hope for spring.”
- Yankees have acquired 6 projected starters post-Juan Soto departure
- Yankees eyeing All-Star upside from injury-prone relief arm
- Yankees could clear almost $20 million to spend with one trade
Are the Yankees patient enough to wait until the spring?
Ideally, the Yankees would love to solve the left field situation before the spring, but the world isn’t a perfect place.
The Pirates are asking for a lot because they want to contend within the three years left on Reynolds’ contract. They did make him an offer to extend his stint there, but essentially lowballed him: six years and $75 million.
Offering $12.5 million per season to a player with no pre-arbitration years left, 51 home runs in the last two campaigns, and a career 126 wRC+ is downright disrespectful.
If those are the types of offers the Pirates are extending to Reynolds, the Yankees might be able to swing a deal eventually as long as they are comfortable parting with some of their best prospects.
Reynolds requested a trade away from Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, and that request is still standing, so interested teams might still have a good chance. The resolution might not be quick (they might very well have to wait until spring training), but at least for the Yankees, the reward could be huge.