Bryan Reynolds' future with the Pirates is up in the air. After failed extension negotiations, Reynolds requested a trade from the team just before the Winter Meetings. Those meetings concluded Wednesday, and the Pirates have stated they don't have interest in trading him.
It's a scenario where there is no clear solution, and one no team wants to be in with its best player.
"That’s the business part of it," David Bednar said to a group of reporters before a private season ticket holder event at PNC Park Friday. "It is what it is, I guess."
At the Winter Meetings in San Diego, both Ben Cherington and Derek Shelton said they did not see Reynolds creating a problem in the clubhouse if he returns in 2023.
On the player side, Bednar agrees.
"Honestly, there’s not even a little worry about that," Bednar said. "He’s gonna come in and play. Bryan’s a great teammate. As far as it being a distraction, I’m not worried about that, even a little bit."
Effort has never been an issue for Reynolds, even towards the end of these last two 100-loss seasons. It's something that was greatly admired, and was pointed out by Shelton to young players.
"He comes to the yard and plays hard every single day," Bednar said. "That’s an invaluable trait to have. You don’t just switch in All-Stars. They don’t just hand those out. He’s a great player."
Like Reynolds, Bednar emerged as one of the leaders of this Pirates team last year. Not so much for rah-rah speeches or rallying troops, but because players saw the work he put in and the success he had, earning his first All-Star nod.
A back injury caused him to miss about two months shortly after the All-Star break, but it's doing better now that he is going to a physical therapist more often.
The Pirates have added some veteran players this winter in part because of their leadership, like Carlos Santana, but if Reynolds departs, it's reasonable to assume even more eyes will turn to Bednar.
"That’s not something I try to overthink," Bednar said. "That part of it happens organically. That’s not anything I’m going to change. I’m just gonna keep showing up, be a professional every single day, be a good role model more so just how I go about my business."
