Everything is going right for the Pittsburgh Pirates now. At 16-7 entering play on Tuesday they are off to their best start since 1992, and they finally agreed to a new contract extension with All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds signing him to an eight-year, $106M deal.
Heck, even Potato Pete is back in the mix.
They should keep all of that momentum going and extend an additional olive branch to their long-suffering fans by locking in a couple of more key players for their future.
Specifically shortstop Oneil Cruz and starting pitcher Mitch Keller.
Pirates fandom has been defined by two things over the years. Losing games, and watching as ownership has not always put forward a serious investment in the product on the field. They have not made many significant additions from outside, and they have not always kept their best players.
Signing Reynolds to a new contract is significant because it is not only the largest contract handed out in franchise history, but it also seemed like something that was never going to happen.
The two sides seemed extremely far apart on numbers, while Reynolds became so frustrated that he even requested a trade during the offseason. The Pirates held their ground, and not only got their best player signed to a new deal, it is also an extremely team-friendly deal that includes trade restrictions and no opt-out clause.
But they can’t stop there. As good as Reynolds is, and for as promising as the early season looks, the Pirates need to keep showing their commitment will be different with this core. That is why Cruz and Keller should be next on the extension list.
Cruz is tricky at the moment because he is currently sidelined with a fractured ankle and has not even played a full season’s worth of games in the Major Leagues. But his potential is sky-high and could make him not only the face of the franchise for the next decade, but also one of the best players in baseball.
There is a growing trend around the league for teams to sign young stars to long-term deals early in their careers to ensure they stay through the first part of their free agency eligible years, and that might be the Pirates’ best chance to keep a player like Cruz long-term.
There is some risk with it. But the potential reward is massive.
Keller has also emerged as their best starting pitcher, and if they can get him signed to a deal similar to the one Cincinnati just signed with Hunter Greene it would lock in a key part of their rotation.
The Pirates finally have some young talent emerging at the same time, have already made one significant signing, and have Andrew McCutchen back to help bring positive vibes and a strong bat. They need to show they are serious about this core and make more moves to keep them in place.
