The Pittsburgh Pirates have not been known for spending money. That may start to change.
In a reversal of their notoriously frugal ways, the Pirates are starting to spend. Young third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes was the start, inking an eight year extension worth $70 million. Then Bryan Reynolds signed an extension of his own on Tuesday, another eight year deal, this time worth just over $106 million.
Pittsburgh Pirates actually spending money on roster
Now that the Pirates have begun to spend, they are not done. Justice delos Santos from MLB.com reported that owner Bob Nutting is looking to get more deals done. Nutting even said “We’re not done. To a degree, we’re just getting started.” Those are words that Pirates fans have been longing to hear for years at this point.
The question now is which pieces of their core the Pirates will look to extend next. Young shortstop Oneil Cruz could be the next piece in the lineup that the Pirates lock in. Pitchers Mitch Keller and Roansy Contreras could be possibilities, as could closer David Bednar. It is also possible that this willingness to spend will go beyond extensions, with the Pirates actually making bigger moves in free agency. A Pirates fan can certainly dream.
And those dreams could become reality. If Nutting is to be taken at his word, and that is a big if, a new era is ready to dawn in Pittsburgh. The Pirates will no longer be a feeder team for the rest of the league. Instead, the Pirates will actually keep their own while looking to contend. It has been a long time coming for a once proud franchise.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are starting to lock in their core. It is a refreshing change for a franchise that had refused to spend at all.