First Call: Settlement talks broke down before Deshaun Watson suspension; Bryan Reynolds trade talks quiet

In Monday’s “First Call,” reports are that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is getting suspended for six games. Details have emerged about failed negotiations to settle the matter in advance of that decision.

It sounds like Bryan Reynolds is staying with the Pirates, but a Pittsburgh native may be on the trade block. Plus a look at Kyle Schwarber’s latest eye-popping home run at PNC Park.

Decision day

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will have to serve a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy following accusations of sexual misconduct. Watson will face no additional fine.

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson issued the ruling Monday. Sunday night, Dan Graziano of ESPN reported that there was a gap in negotiations toward a settlement that the two sides couldn’t overcome. The NFL wasn’t willing to accept anything less than a 12-game suspension. And Watson’s camp was only willing to go as far as six to eight games. So that’s why a settlement couldn’t be reached.

Per sources, Deshaun Watson and the NFL did engage in further settlement talks in recent days, but neither side felt they got close. The best Watson’s side indicated it would accept was 6-8 games. Best league indicated it was willing to do was 12 games + heavy fine $8 mil range).

— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) August 1, 2022

Meanwhile, the NFL Players Association put out a statement Sunday night insisting that it wouldn’t challenge the ruling on Watson’s behalf via appeal, regardless of the outcome. It asked the NFL to take the same approach. Either side would have three days to submit an appeal in writing.

Our joint statement with Deshaun Watson on the impending arbitration decision: pic.twitter.com/9ObLnHiX6J

— NFLPA (@NFLPA) July 31, 2022

As Graziano explained on Twitter, “The context here is that either side can appeal a ruling it doesn’t like, and commissioner Roger Goodell would hear the appeal. (The) Union is trying to avert a situation in which the league overturns the ruling of a jointly appointed neutral arbitrator.”

The Steelers visit Cleveland in Week 3 on a Thursday night. They host the Browns in Week 18 at Acrisure Stadium. Cleveland also faces the Jets, Panthers, Falcons, Chargers and Patriots during that stretch.

Watson was accused of sexual harassment and assault by 24 massage therapists in Texas and has settled 20 of the civil lawsuits filed against him. Four lawsuits remain pending, and the attorney representing the women has said he hopes to take them to trial sometime next spring.

Two separate Texas grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal complaints stemming from the allegations.

Related

• 7 years after being Steelers’ last resort, Chris Boswell’s among NFL’s best kickers
• Pirates drop into last place in NL Central as Phillies pound 18 hits to sweep 4-game series
• Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin may not be re-evaluating Steelers QB battle 'after every throw,' but it feels like everyone else is

Retaining Reynolds

As Tuesday’s trade deadline nears, the Pirates will likely swap out some veterans for cheaper minor league talent.

Don’t expect outfielder Bryan Reynolds to be on the move, though. That’s according to John Heyman of the MLB Network.

Rival execs who have inquired about Pirates star CF Bryan Reynolds have the same impression. And that is that he isn’t going anywhere.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 31, 2022

There had been some chatter about teams throwing feelers out to the Pirates during the offseason to get a sense of what the asking price might be for Reynolds, but that conversation has cooled substantially since the Pirates signed Reynolds to a two-year, $13.5 million contract in April.

However, in a way, the short-term cost certainty of that deal could make Reynolds even more attractive. The Sporting News listed the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies as potential suitors for the Pirates to part with Reynolds. San Diego was one of the teams allegedly interested in swinging a deal for Reynolds in March.

He’s hitting .251 with 15 homers, 32 RBIs and an OPS of .779. After a monster June that featured a .989 OPS and a .333 batting average, Reynolds has struggled in July, hitting just .222 with a .669 OPS and no home runs.

Mr. Mt. Lebanon on the move?

Heyman also reported that multiple teams may be in the mix to acquire Chicago Cubs All-Star Ian Happ.

The Mt. Lebanon alum is said to be drawing interest from San Diego, Milwaukee, Toronto and Atlanta.

Blue Jays have been looking for big pen help, a starter and a lefty bat. Ian Happ would fit their hitting need, but he’s getting huge interest. Padres, Brewers and perhaps Braves are among others Happ would help.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 31, 2022

Ian Happ and Willson Contreras are players of interest for the Padres. Uncertain if that may be a/the backup plan for top target Juan Soto, but they do fit SD.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 31, 2022

Like Reynolds, Happ had a monster June, hitting .327 with an OPS of .948. He’s currently at .280 with nine home runs and 46 RBIs to go along with an .796 OPS.

Statcast Schwarber

Whenever Oneil Cruz throws a ball really fast from shortstop or runs with blazing speed around the bases, Pirates fans and media blow up Twitter with all sorts of gushy Statcast records.

Twitter also informs me that those figures are much more important than the fact that Cruz is hitting .206 or that he has 40 more strikeouts (46) than walks (6) right now.

OK. I’ll play along. But if we are going to gush about the Statcast numbers whenever they make a Pirate look good, then let’s acknowledge them when an opponent punks the Buccos, too.

Like when Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber hit this home run off of J.T. Brubaker in the fifth inning of the Phillies’ 8-2 win at PNC Park on Sunday.

Schwarbomb's away!#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/4uPNVSqsKR

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 31, 2022

Statcast claims that the ball left the stadium with an exit velocity of 111.6 mph, and it went 441 feet to left field. That was Schwarber’s National League-leading 33rd home run of the season.

Via Sarah Langs of MLB media, that was the deepest home run hit to the opposite field of any swing in Major League Baseball the season and is tied for the 10th longest since such statistics have been measured.

Kyle Schwarber's 441-ft oppo HR is tied for the 10th-longest opposite-field HR tracked by Statcast (since 2015)

Here's the list he joins ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/uZifvtg4gq

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 31, 2022

Langs also noted it was the longest opposite field home run on record in Philadelphia team history.