The New York Yankees are finalizing a commerce to amass nearer David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates, sources advised ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Thursday.
The deal is pending a medical evaluate, sources mentioned.
Amongst these going to the Pirates, sources advised ESPN, is catcher Rafael Flores, who tore up Double-A, is now at Triple-A, is a top-shelf framer and considered a big-league-ready catcher. Pittsburgh additionally will get 19-year-old Edgleen Perez, who makes wonderful swing selections and was rated as the Yankees’ 10th-best prospect by ESPN.
Coming into Thursday, Yankees relievers had a 6.29 ERA in July, which is the second-worst by any staff in MLB this month, forward of solely the Colorado Rockies (7.01).
The 30-year-old Bednar brings high-end efficiency with out the worth tag of his back-end-of-the-bullpen friends, as he’s making $5.9 million this season and is arbitration-eligible earlier than hitting free company after the 2026 season.
His swing-and-miss stuff has been elite since his return from Triple-A in mid-April, which greater than salvaged his commerce worth: Over his previous 24 outings by Wednesday, Bednar struck out 29 and walked solely 5 whereas giving up only one earned run.
For the season, the right-handed Bednar has 17 saves with a 2.37 ERA and 51 strikeouts, in comparison with simply 10 walks. He has thus far posted profession bests in strikeout and stroll charges.
He has rebounded from an atrocious 2024, when he posted a 5.77 ERA whereas going 3-8 with 23 saves (and 7 blown saves), to recapture his kind from 2021-23, when he was among the many 5 finest relievers in baseball. His arsenal incorporates a high-90s fastball, a hard-breaking curveball and a imply splitter.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel contributed to this report.