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April 25 (UPI) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates signed the largest contract extension in franchise history Tuesday, locking up slugging outfielder Bryan Reynolds for more than $100 million. Reynolds, 27, will get $106.75 million over the life of the eight-year contract, which is still pending a physical and has not yet been officially announced by the club.
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The deal also reportedly contains a team option that would add an additional year, MLB.com reported, citing team sources.
Reynolds does get an opt-out in the deal but does get a partial no-trade list, believed to have six teams. The option year is for $20 million and comes with a $2 million buyout.
This marks a near-total reversal of Reynolds' future with the notoriously tight-spending franchise. The Pirates have been trying to get the Maryland native's name on an extension for some time, despite a trade request this past offseason that had industry insiders predicting a certain departure.
The Yankees, Mets and Blue Jays were all rumored to be interested at the time in the toolsy outfielder.
Reynolds was slated to hit free agency in three years. This also marks the first time in 17 years the Pirates, usually an afterthought when it comes to luring or retaining big-name free agents, have extended any sort of no-trade protection.
The Pirates are off to a 16-7 start so far this young season, leading the National Leagues' Central Division by a full game over the Milwaukee Brewers. Pittsburgh finished last season fourth in the six-team division.
Reynolds has a slash line of .294/.319/.553 far in his fifth big-league season, all of them spent patrolling mainly left and some center field in the pitcher-friendly confines of PNC Park. Reynolds is currently hitting 12 points above his career average of .282 while his OPS is 50 points higher.
He has 79 round trippers for his career and was an all-star in 2021, when he was tied for the NL lead in triples with eight.
The contract blows away the previous high water mark in Pirates franchise history. Last spring, the team inked third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes to a $70 million, eight-year extension.
