David Bednar has blown three of four saves so far this season, including giving up 4 runs in the top of the 9th inning on Tuesday allowing the Detroit Tigers to split a brief, two-game series against the Pirates at PNC Park.
So, if there is a save situation in Philadelphia Thursday evening, who will Manager Derek Shelton go with in the 9th?
"Bednar," Shelton said on his weekly radio show with Joe Starkey on 93.7 The Fan. "I mean Bednar will close. I know he's going through a tough time right now, this is also a guy that had 39 saves in a 2 ERA last year."
Shelton said there are some things they need to "work out" but he's giving Bednar the benefit of the doubt since he's been an "elite closer, an All-Star closure over the last couple years."
Shelton was then asked, why not allow Bednar to work out those "kinks" in a different situation, like not the 9th inning when the game is on the line?
"I think that's challenging, I mean you're going to put him in a non-leverage role to do that so, I think the thing we think is that we can get these things worked out and also having faith in the kid, I mean this kid's been really good for us for the last two years and I think that's really important to continue to show faith in the fact that he has been good for a reason," said Shelton.
Shelton also says going back to Bednar shows a believe in their closer and avoids any type of controversy with the role.
When it comes to the issues, Shelton says its Bednar's overall control. He walked one and hit two batters on Tuesday against the Tigers.
"We need to make a little mechanical adjustment here to just make sure we get him back in the zone and that's the important thing there," said Shelton.
Shelton says if Bednar's struggles continue, they'll have another conversation on what to do after that.
