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Message: [QUOTE="BillSU, post: 5468471, member: 6809"] [HEADING=1][URL='https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45870491/sources-yankees-finalizing-trade-pirates-closer-david-bednar']Yankees land Bednar, boost struggling bullpen[/URL] espn.com[/HEADING] [IMG]https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/mlb/500/nyy.png&h=60&w=60[/IMG] [B]Yankees get:[/B] RHP [URL='https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/38303/david-bednar']David Bednar[/URL] [IMG]https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/mlb/500/pit.png&h=60&w=60[/IMG] [B]Pirates get:[/B] C Rafael Flores C Edgleen Perez OF Brian Sanchez [B]Yankees grade: B+[/B] It's no secret the Yankees desired bullpen help -- usually a strength of the team, the pen ranks 21st in the majors with a 4.24 ERA, a figure that has ballooned to 6.29 in July. Closer [URL='https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33224/devin-williams']Devin Williams[/URL] has had a wildly inconsistent season after coming over from the Brewers, struggling in April, looking good for a couple of months, but now he has allowed runs in four of his past six appearances, including two home runs. [URL='https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33770/luke-weaver']Luke Weaver[/URL], who came out of nowhere last season to end up as the Yankees' closer, hasn't been quite as dominant either, mostly due to a high home run rate (seven in 40⅔ innings). That suggests it's possible Bednar even gets a crack at the closer role. After struggling out of the gate to begin the season, he has allowed just one earned run over his past 24 appearances. Bednar's four-seamer averages 97, but it's not necessarily a dominant pitch, as he gets most of his swing-and-miss off his curveball and a splitter that he uses effectively against lefties. While Bednar is 17-for-17 in save chances, he does have five losses, so, umm, don't use him in a tie game? As a bonus, Bednar also comes with another year of team control. Granted, pitching for Pittsburgh is a lot different than pitching in New York -- ask Williams about the pressures of going from a small market to pitching for the Yankees, where the fans will turn on you after that first blown save -- but Bednar gives Aaron Boone another late-game, high-leverage arm, no matter what role he settles into. [/QUOTE]

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