Quietly, the New York Yankees' bullpen is struggling.
Excellent bullpens have been a Yankees staple under pitching coach Matt Blake, but the group is more undermanned than usual in 2025. With closer Luke Weaver on the injured list, the bullpen has been overworked over the last couple of weeks.
For the Yankees to solidify themselves as American League favorites, they'd be wise to add another high-leverage arm or two. Fortunately, those are always plentiful at the trade deadline. One baseball writer believes the Pittsburgh Pirates hold the ideal match.
On Wednesday, Jon Vankin of Newsweek named Pirates two-time All-Star closer David Bednar as a top prospective trade candidate for the Yankees ahead of this year's Jul. 31 deadline.
"The Pirates' closer has recorded eight saves this season, with a solid 3.74 ERA," Vankin wrote.
"Bednar's remaining full season of team control might make Pittsburgh's asking price somewhat higher than if he were simply a rental. On the other hand, his age and recent struggles mean he probably won't be worth a top prospect."
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It's been an odd couple of seasons for Bednar, who lost the closer role during an injury-shortened 2024 campaign and was then surprisingly demoted to Triple-A at the start of April. Since his return, though, he's been quite good.
Bednar has 20 2/3 innings pitched since Apr. 19, his return to the big leagues. In those innings, he has a 2.61 ERA, 1.38 FIP, and 30 strikeouts to only three walks. He's doing an excellent job of rebuilding his trade value, and the Yankees have surely taken notice.
It's the perfect time for the Pirates to sell high on Bednar, who is a free agent after 2026, and the Yankees could definitely use him in high-leverage situations for the next year and a half.
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