BRADENTON, Fla. -- Bryan Reynolds' trade request didn't impact his level of communication with his team. He still talked with his teammates and responded to David Bednar's Instagram stories to tell him "he sucked." He gave Derek Shelton updates about how the bourbon room he's building is coming along. He and hitting coach Andy Haines hit three times a week at the Hustle Factory baseball facility in Spring Hill, Tenn.
So there was some normalcy in what was a wild offseason.
Reynolds requested a trade from the Pirates on the eve of the Winter Meetings in December after the two sides failed to get close for a long-term extension. While the Pirates continued to listen to offers on him, they had no real interest in moving him. After two months of each side waiting each other out, Reynolds reported to camp in Bradenton, Fla. this week so he can start early, hoping to not be a distraction.
And while the situation is far from resolved, there is still potentially a happy ending for all of this.
"I think I've been pretty open these last few years that my No. 1 would be to sign an extension in Pittsburgh," Reynolds said at his locker at Pirate City Wednesday when asked if he would still be open to the idea of a long-term deal. "I want that to be a fair deal for both sides. Not one side or the other. Not a crazy player, not a crazy team deal. That's always been my No. 1."
"I don’t want either side of it to come out and be like, ‘Man, they kind of got us.’ I want it to be that both sides got some skin in it."
Getting to that point, though? It's going to take some work.
After all, there was a reason why he requested the trade. And why he hasn't rescinded the request.
"Not getting too much into it, just a difference in opinion of... I don't know, I guess what we viewed my worth is as a player, and that's where we ended up," Reynolds explained for why he made the request.
Reynolds did not get into specifics, but confirmed that most of the information about the negotiations is accurate. Reports indicate that the Pirates' offer was about $75 million for six years, roughly what the Braves signed Sean Murphy for this year. While Reynolds' camp has moved off of the reported ballpark of Matt Olson's extension (8 years, $168 million), the two sides are still a good ways apart.
That's been the headache of the situation. Reynolds has said publicly many times that he enjoys Pittsburgh and the organization. He isn't keen on leaving, assuming he is paid what he deems is fair.
"Everything I've said is true," Reynolds said. "I always said I like playing here. I like the city, I like the fans, I like the stadium. We like living in Pittsburgh for half the year. That's all true. I'm happy I've got teammates I like, all that. That was the business side of it, if you will. Everything I've said is true. My No. 1's true. Kinda sucked that it came to that because that's how I feel. It's kind of frustrating."
Reynolds is under contract for $6.75 million this season and has two years of arbitration remaining after that. There is no rush on the Pirates end to trade him, so this could be a situation that lingers for months, if not years.
"That’s their court. We couldn’t force them to do anything," Reynolds said. "I was frustrated. I think we have a right to have those emotions, too, and that’s what we did, but obviously, can’t force them to do anything."
If it does, Reynolds is vowing not to be a distraction. Not that the people in the clubhouse feel that it will be.
"He's here to play baseball," Ke'Bryan Hayes said. "I've known him since we were in Double A, and I know he's gonna come in the same person every day, whether he's going through those talks or if he's not. Since I've been here talking to him, he's the same Bryan Reynolds."
"I don’t think it’s distracting at all," Derek Shelton said. "He was here three days early. He worked with Andy all offseason. Like we talked about before, he’s gonna continue to work hard and play hard and have a good year."
Shelton and Reynolds talked plenty. About families. About bourbon. But mostly about the work he was doing with Haines and how he was feeling.
"He embodies what we’ve asked him to do, the way he plays hard," Shelton said. "He’s worked hard this offseason on his swing. He’s worked hard on his defense. My expectation is the same. He’s gonna go out and be a really good baseball player."
That seems to be the closest thing to a guarantee we can expect with Reynolds and what's to come. He's a Pirate for now, and we should know what to expect out of him production wise. The business side? It'll sort itself out eventually, one way or the other.
"I'm always going to be where my feet are at," Reynolds said. "I'm here right now, so l'm locked in for 100% Pirates, whatever takes. I'm down here now to get my work in and start to have a good season."
