Ex-Pirates Pitcher Taking Over Huge Role For New Club

The Pittsburgh Pirates cleaned house at the trade deadline, moving some fan favorites in the process.

One of whom was David Bednar, who was traded to the New York Yankees for three prospects. The Yankees have struggled recently, with the bullpen at the center of many of their losses.

Bednar struggled in his first appearance for New York. He entered the game in the seventh inning and quickly gave up two runs, giving the Miami Marlins the lead. He beared down and pitched a scoreless eighth inning, but the Yankees ultimately lost the game 13-12. His second outing was a clean eighth inning against the Texas Rangers, though Yankees closer Devin Williams blew a save, and the Yankees again lost in extra innings.

Williams has struggled for a while now and appears to have ceded the closer role to Bednar. On Wednesday, Bednar secured the final five outs for the Yankees, snapping a five-game losing streak. It was the second time in three appearances that he was asked to get more than three outs. The closer threw a season high 42 pitches, with all five of his outs coming via strikeout.

The Rangers had the tying run on second base with two outs in the ninth, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone came out to remove Bednar. Ultimately, Bednar talked Boone into leaving him in the game before recording a strikeout to end the game.

“Honestly, I didn’t even see [Boone] coming. I was just kinda getting my mind right to face [Adolis] Garcia. I told him I wanted him and he agreed and I just wanted to bear down and get that last one,” Bednar said after the game.

Bednar is yet to pitch in Yankee Stadium. If he does assume the closer role, and it looks like he might, it will be interesting to see if he continues using Renegade by Styx as his entrance music.

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