DALLAS – In 2020, on Christmas Eve, the Pittsburgh Pirates made a significant trade by sending Josh Bell away. Since then, they have been on a quest to find a long-term answer at first base. The Pirates have attempted to fill the gap created during the holiday season with a series of short-term solutions. However, in the four years since Bell's departure to the Washington Nationals, no one has firmly grasped the job.

Internal Option Considered

Now, the Pirates are giving serious thought to an internal option for first base. Left fielder Bryan Reynolds might make the switch and play first base in 2025. Reynolds started taking ground balls during pre-game drills towards the end of last season. Initially, both Reynolds and the Pirates downplayed the idea, stating it was just for fun. But if general manager Ben Cherington fails to find a fix for first base this winter, it could become a serious matter during spring training. Pirates manager Derek Shelton mentioned on Monday during the MLB's Winter Meetings at the Hilton Anatole that bench coach Don Kelly had designed an offseason workout plan for Reynolds at first base.The Pirates don't want Reynolds to start the program immediately as he played a whopping 156 games this year, hitting.275/.344/.447 with 24 home runs and 10 stolen bases. He was even selected to the All-Star Game for the second time in his six-year career. "Right now, it's just about rest," Shelton said. "He played in over 150 games. We need him to recover. He'll begin his offseason program, but the aim is to see how he fares at first base and if he can play there full-time. I can't say for sure yet. He's a talented athlete and enjoys taking ground balls."Reynolds last played first base in 2014 during his freshman year of college when he appeared in eight games for Vanderbilt. But the Pirates believe he has the ability to make the transition if required. "The initial work he did at the end of the season showed a lot of promise," Shelton said. "We'll wait and see how it progresses. Then we'll assess the rest of our team."Last season, Pirates first basemen hit.230/.296/.380 with 19 home runs in 2024. Rowdy Tellez's 111 games at the position were crucial for the team. Reynolds would bring an offensive upgrade. However, the Pirates are aware that moving Reynolds to first base would leave them with a shortage of quality outfielders. They would need to find a new left fielder to replace him and already have a significant hole in right field."He's a baseball player," Cherington said about Reynolds. "Baseball players do whatever it takes to help the team win, and that's one of the things we love and respect about him so much. It's early in the offseason, and this will depend on our roster opportunities. He's an outfielder for now. If there's a reason we think the team would be better with him trying something else, I know he's open to it. As we see it now, he's an outfielder on the team and a vital part of it."There is another factor to consider as well. Reynolds had -5 defensive runs saved last season, and the North Side Notch at PNC Park might be a bit too much for him to handle. Although he is only 29, perhaps it's time to reduce his defensive workload. Stay tuned to see how this situation unfolds.