The Yankees and Pirates are in talks on a trade that would send closer David Bednar from Pittsburgh to the Bronx, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. New York is seen by others pursuing Bednar as a front-runner to acquire him, though a deal is not yet in place. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand adds that the Bucs are still discussing Bednar with several clubs, but the Yankees consider him their top option.
Bednar, 30, is one of the top controllable relievers on the market. The hard-throwing 6’1″ righty is making $5.9MM this season and is under club control for one more year. He’s owed about $1.87MM of that sum for the balance of the season, though the Yankees would pay a 110% luxury tax on him, making the total financial outlay closer to $3.9MM.
A former All-Star, Bednar struggled through a brutal 2024 season and had a rough start to his 2025 campaign. The Bucs optioned him to Triple-A in late March, and Bednar has been an absolute behemoth since returning. In 37 frames, he’s posted a dazzling 1.70 ERA with a 34.5% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate. It’s some of the best work of Bednar’s career — even better than what had been a 2021-23 peak that saw him post a combined 2.25 ERA, 31.2% strikeout rate and 7.7% walk rate.
Bednar surely holds extra appeal for the Yankees, given that additional season of club control. Top relievers like Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are both set to reach free agency at season’s end. Bednar would be able to pitch in any high-leverage role necessary in 2025 and could step into the ninth inning for the 2026 season, depending on whether Williams and/or Weaver are retained.
The Pirates have looked into trading Bednar in the past, though he’s a Pittsburgh native and favorite of owner Bob Nutting, who has reportedly intervened in some of his front office’s past discussions surrounding a Bednar trade. With the Pirates in the midst of another disappointing season and already having dismissed manager Derek Shelton, it’s seen as more likely that ownership will step to the side and let the front office earnestly explore the possibility.
The Rangers, Tigers, Phillies and Dodgers have all reportedly shown interest in Bednar this month as well, although the Phillies are likely done adding to the ’pen after acquiring Jhoan Duran, and the Tigers have already acquired a trio of veteran relievers (Kyle Finnegan, Rafael Montero, Paul Sewald).