The New York Yankees are acquiring closer David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, which they hope will solve their issues with finishing out games in late innings. The deal is pending medical review, reports ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Bednar, who will turn 31 on Oct. 10, has 51 strikeouts in 38 innings with a 2.37 ERA and 17 saves in 17 opportunities this season. No blown saves might be of particular interest to the Yankees and their fans with Devin Williams and Luke Weaver being unreliable in late-inning situations this season.
Wednesday's 5-4, 11-inning win over the Tampa Bay Rays has to be a particularly fresh memory with WIlliams blowing a 2-1 lead in the ninth by walking Junior Caminero to lead off the inning, then leaving a changeup in the lower middle of the strike zone for a two-run homer by Josh Lowe.
The Yankees tied the game in the bottom of the ninth on Anthony Volpe's 16th homer of the season, but Weaver gave the lead back with a walk to Brandon Lowe, a single by Yandy Díaz and sacrifice fly from Jonathan Aranda.
New York rallied to win the game with Cody Bellinger tying the score at 4-4 in the 10th on an RBI triple and Ryan McMahon hitting a walk-off RBI single in the 11th. But the game arguably never should have reached that point, had Williams or Weaver locked the game down when the opportunity was there.
This story will be updated.
Comments