The New York Yankees acquired closer David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, which they hope will solve their issues finishing games. The deal is pending medical review, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Bednar, who will turn 31 on Oct. 10, has a 2.37 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 38 innings, with 17 saves in 17 opportunities this season. His zero blown saves might be of particular interest to the Yankees and their fans, with Devin Williams and Luke Weaver having been unreliable in late-inning situations this season.
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In exchange, Pittsburgh will receive minor-league catcher Rafael Flores, ranked as the Yankees’ No. 8 prospect by MLB.com, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray. Two additional prospects will reportedly be included in the package going to Pittsburgh.
Wednesday’s 5-4, 11-inning win over the Tampa Bay Rays has to be a particularly fresh memory for the Yankees, with WIlliams blowing a 2-1 lead in the ninth by walking Junior Caminero, then leaving a changeup in the lower middle of the strike zone for a two-run homer by Josh Lowe.
The Yankees tied the game in the bottom of the ninth on Anthony Volpe‘s 16th homer of the season, but Weaver then gave the lead back with a walk to Brandon Lowe, a single by Yandy Díaz and a sacrifice fly from Jonathan Aranda.
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New York rallied to win the game, with Cody Bellinger tying the score 4-4 in the 10th on an RBI triple and Ryan McMahon hitting a walk-off single in the 11th. But the game arguably never would’ve reached that point if Williams or Weaver had locked things down when the opportunity was there.
In seven MLB seasons, his first two with the San Diego Padres, Bednar has a 3.23 ERA and an average of 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He has compiled career 101 saves in 117 opportunities, all with the Pirates.
Earlier in the season, Bednar being any team’s closer looked doubtful, as the Pirates demoted him to Triple-A on April 1. But he was back in the majors on April 19 after five scoreless innings with Indianapolis. Since then, Bednar has allowed six earned runs in 39 appearances.
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And now, he’s going from a last-place team to competing for a division title and a postseason berth.
