Bryan Reynolds reminds Yankees fans what could've been with scorching series at Fenway

Cannonball coming! With New York Yankees (imaginary?) trade target Bryan Reynolds at the plate this week at Fenway Park, the Pirates' announcing team could've just cued up a recording of their famous home run call and waited.

In a rude awakening for fans who spent their time this winter arguing that Reynolds wasn't worth the farm, the Pirates switch-hitter used Fenway's weird outfield quirks instead of Yankee Stadium's short porch, laying waste to Red Sox pitching in a spectacular display.

Sure, a disgruntled Reynolds pieced together a subpar (by his standards) 2022 season, piling up only 2.9 bWAR with an .807 OPS and 126 OPS+.

But in just six games this season -- three of which came on the road against the Sox -- he's already accrued 0.5 bWAR while exploring all corners of that lil' century-old green ballpark.

Turns out, the "I Just Requested a Trade, But Am Willing to Extend if You'd Only Give Me a Damn Opt-Out" Reynolds might be the best Reynolds. In three games at Fenway this week (a Pirates sweep, thanks!), Reynolds went 7-for-12 with 3 homers, 2 doubles, and 5 RBI.

Yankees Trade Target Bryan Reynolds went supernova vs Boston Red Sox

Now, was some of that because of the Red Sox pitching? Absolutely! But the Yankees have to face that very same Red Sox pitching 13 times per year in the game's most meaningful rivalry. Seeing Reynolds get up for the "challenge" while still wearing the black-and-yellow certainly served as a reminder of what could've been, if only the Yankees and Pirates matched up better in a potential trade.

Talk yourself hoarse about whether or not to include Jasson Dominguez; the Pirates want upper-level pitching, and nobody the Yankees could offer, from Will Warren to Clarke Schmidt, could front such a package. Sure would be nice to be able to include Roansy Contreras in this trade, huh?

For now, instead of mapping out ways the Yankees could make this acquisition work, it's probably best to root for an extension in the 'Burgh, including that pesky opt-out. The longer Reynolds lingers, the more a team like Toronto will have to consider including ace left-hander Ricky Tiedemann. No thank you.