Bryan Reynolds unassuming season was actually historic for Pirates

In some ways, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been disappointed that Bryan Reynolds never returned to his 2021 heights when he slashed .302/.390/.522 and put up a 140 wRC+ that foreshadowed a potential MVP season in his future. The 31-year-old certainly hasn't been bad since, though 2025 was a little rough. It's been easy to want more.

The 2026 season has been no different from the rest of Reynolds' post-2021career. Entering Friday, he's hit .261/.365/.422 with 17 homers and a 117 wRC+. You can't complain about that level of performance, but it's certainly not superstar worthy.

During the September 22 series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, Reynolds smacked his major-league-leading 40th double. Leading the league in anything is pretty impressive, but it also etched Reynolds' name in the Pirates' record books. With that two-bagger, he became the first Pittsburgh player since Nate McLouth (46) in 2008 to hit the 40-double threshold. He also became the only switch-hitter in franchise history besides Bobby Bonilla (44) in 1991 to meet that mark.

Bryan Reynolds' 2026 accomplishment proves the Pirates need to do a better job managing him in 2027

A common thread with Reynolds throughout his career has been incredibly high highs and sometimes horrific lows. Figuring out a way to get more of the good and less of the bad should be a key Pirates' objective for next season.

For example, from late May through the end of June, Reynolds was scorching hot and put together a 34-game on-base streak. At that point in time, Pittsburgh's offense was really rolling, and the two-time All-Star was a major reason why.

But it hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows. Reynolds' .878 first-half OPS has given way to a .653 mark down the stretch. There have also been weird things, like him excelling with a .897 OPS at PNC Park and then struggling on the road to the tune of a .678 OPS.

Reynolds has been an iron man for most of his career, playing 154 games or more each of the last three seasons, and no fewer than 145 contests every year from 2021 onward. That means he's played through some bumps and bruises, and those nagging injuries have only served to wear him down.

At the same time, Reynolds is no longer a great defender. More DH time in 2027 will give him a bit more rest and help get the defense up to snuff. Combine that with some more frequent rest days, and we could see a best-ever performance from Reynolds next season.

As one of the Pirates' elder statesmen, Reynolds is an important voice in the clubhouse. At the same time, he has the potential to be a key cog in the team's quest to return to the postseason, especially if he's handled in the correct manner. A rested and fresh Reynolds is more likely to do damage, so the Pirates need to be more conscious about getting him some built-in breathers throughout next season, otherwhise it might be more of the same. Good, but not great.

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