Whether an urgent need or simply a luxury, nearly every team, every year that plans on making a deep playoff run is in the market for a relief pitcher.
And for those looking to swing big, David Bednar might be one of the top options out there.
A relative unknown through 2020, the Pirates closer has emerged as one of the top late-inning arms in the game since the Padres traded him to Pittsburgh prior to the 2021 season in the Joe Musgrove deal. And with the Bucs still in the throes of a rebuild, Bednar might very well be moved again.
The volume of rumors certainly suggest that a trade could be on the horizon for Bednar, who grew up just north of Pittsburgh. Appearing on the “Chris Rose Rotation” podcast, the 27-year-old offered his take on possibly getting traded.
“Honestly, I understand the business side of it,” Bednar said. “I understand that’s part of it, that’s also how I got to Pittsburgh. Going through it once it’s whatever, but obviously I love Pittsburgh and absolutely everything about it.
“You definitely see all the stuff out there, but I’m not paying attention to it because a lot of it is smoke until it actually happens. So until then, there’s no point in even worrying about it or stressing about it a little bit. My fiancée and my dad, they have conversations about it for sure, but I don’t pay too much attention to it.
“It’s cool to be in those conversations because it does mean you’re throwing the ball well and people do want you. It’s cool from that aspect of it, for sure.”
Bednar won't be an unrestricted free agent until after the 2026 campaign, so the Pirates theoretically could keep him if they think they could actually compete between now and then. That's no guarantee though, and moving someone who has that long left before free agency usually helps bolster the return.
Bednar has 15 saves thus far in 2022 and was named to next week’s MLB All-Star Game. Whether he’ll finish his breakout season wearing the jersey of his hometown team remains to be seen.
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