BRADENTON, FL (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates closer David Bednar returned to the mound for the first time this Spring on Thursday with his father and the baseball team from his alma mater watching.
The two-time All-Star closer had been held out due to lat tightness. Pirates Director of Sports Medicine Todd Tomczyk said the injury ‘delayed game progression’ and that he is fully cleared to return with the start of the season coming a week from Thursday.
“It was great to get back out there again and get back to competing,” said Bednar, who touched 96 miles an hour. “Felt good. I was pretty happy being around the zone. I stayed in the lanes pretty much. Obviously, I would like to get ahead more. Most importantly it felt good, that’s the most important part.”
Bednar said it was good to get the juices flowing after his first outing. He said he feels good after a scoreless inning where he allowed two hits and got a double play ball. He threw 15 pitches, nine for strikes.
Will Bednar be ready for Opening Day in Miami on March 28?
“I think that’s out of my hands,” Bednar said. “I think obviously that’s the goal. We will have to check in with everybody and see where everybody is at. I’m feeling good and going to take it day-by-day.”
The right-hander is coming off a career-high 39 saves in 42 opportunities with a 2.00 ERA with 80 strikeouts to 21 walks in 67.1 innings in 2023. Entering his fourth season with the Pirates after being acquired in a trade with San Diego, Bednar is 9-8 with a 2.25 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 61 saves.
Related
Dad/HS team visit
On Thursday Bednar’s father and his team from Mars High School came down and visited and watched the game against Toronto.
“It was so cool,” Bednar said. “I think back to high school when we would take those Spring trips and how much fun they were. How much full circle that is? To have the opportunity to come down, take a tour of the facility and hang out and watch BP is really cool.”
“It’s crazy because those days feel like yesterday. Now to be in the position I am right now, it’s still kind of a pinch-me moment and it’s really cool. Every chance I get to hang out with those guys it’s really cool.”
Bednar said he remembers some of the kids playing coach pitch and he used to umpire some of their games. He did so for two or three years on the bases and behind the plate.
Asked if that meant he had more compassion for Major League umpires, Bednar smiled and said ‘something like that’.