Baseball fans roast Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds for dropping fly ball in Spring Training game: "Owner saving this for arbitration" 

The Pittsburgh Pirates are still holding onto outfielder Bryan Reynolds, although he had a hard time holding on to the ball Tuesday. Reynolds, the latest in a long line of budding superstars likely to be leaving the Steel City once his contractual obligations demand it, took a fair bit of ribbing online for failing to field a fly ball in a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

While he was not charged with an error, Reynolds lost a looping ball in the sun as it fell to the field and cost Pittsburgh a run. It didn't matter much, as the Pirates won 7-2, but when the spotlight is shinging on you – as it was with Reynolds – the light sometimes burns.

Rumors are already rampant about where the Pittsburgh will eventually trade Reynolds, even though the four-year major league veteran is not eligible for free agency until 2026.

The 28-year-old outfielder is under contract at $6.75 million this season and is arbitration-eligible for two more years.

Reynolds demanded a trade this offseason when contract extension talks broke down with the two sides reportedly $50 million apart with the Pirates offering $75 million over six years.

Reynolds, a first-time All-Star in 2021 when he finished 11th in the National League MVP voting after hitting .302 with 24 home runs and 90 RBIs, as well as a major league leading eight triples.

While he hit 27 homers in 2022, his other numbers fell off to a .262 average with 62 RBIs and four triples, and he failed in earning a return trip to the All-Star Game.

That mild slide hasn't deterred Reynolds from demanding what would be a team-record contract extension from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

While the roasting of Reynolds may be a bit overdone online for a player who lost a ball in the sun in an exhibition game, it does underscore the doubt in many fans' minds about whether he is worth a big-time contract.

The New York Mets are not one of the teams mentioned as a possible trade suitor for Reynolds. However, at least one fan thinks the ball would have been caught had free-spending Mets owner Steve Cohen owned the Pittsburgh Pirates instead.

Small-market Pittsburgh Pirates don't hang on to stars

Bryan Reynolds of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run.

In a baseball world of haves and have-nots, the Pittsburgh Pirates are squarely in the latter. The team has a long history of moving stars for prospects and are often near the bottom of the league in payroll. In 2023, the Pirates project a payroll of just under $61 million – 28th of 29 MLB teams.