The Pittsburgh Pirates don’t usually operate in bold strokes like this. That’s what makes the reported extension talks with Konnor Griffin feel different — and frankly, franchise-defining.
According to a report from Jared Greenspan and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, the Pirates have discussed a potential deal with Griffin stretching as long as nine years and north of $100 million. This is the kind of structure we’ve seen smart, forward-thinking organizations use to get ahead of the market: buy out the volatile early years, secure cost certainty through arbitration, and — most importantly — lock in prime free-agent seasons before the price explodes.