The Pittsburgh Pirates have been one of the worst teams in MLB for years, with clubs around the league hoping each summer to acquire All-Star closer David Bednar before the trade deadline. It appears another decision made by owner Bob Nutting proved costly to the franchise.
According to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates front office has wanted to trade Bednar for years now and fielded interest from multiple teams. However, ownership would then step in and veto any deal.
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- David Bednar (ESPN): 5.52 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, .311 batting average allowed in 14.2 innings pitched
Bednar, age 30, is a two-time All-Star selection and he led the National League in saves in 2023. From 2021-’23, the right-handed reliever compiled a 2.25 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and an 11.3 K/9 across 179.2 innings pitched. He was entering the prime of his career and signed to a club-friendly contract with multiple years of contract control, making him a premium trade chip.
The Pirates’ front office clearly saw an opportunity to move an All-Star closer at the peak of his trade value when the club wasn’t close to contention. Pittsburgh could’ve netted a strong return, acquiring multiple top prospects to strengthen its farm system.
- David Bednar contract (Spotrac): $5.9 million salary in 2025, arbitration-eligible in 2026
Instead, Nutting stepped in and prevented a deal from happening. The decision has proven costly, with Bednar’s production plummeting since last season.
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Since the start of the 2024 season, Bednar has a 5.72 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP and his strikeout rate and he’s allowed 9.1 hits per 9 innings across his last 72.1 innings pitched. The Pirates demoted him once, with the hope that some time in the minor leagues would allow him to work through things. It hasn’t worked and now Bednar’s trade value is significantly lower than it would’ve been if the Pirates traded him a year ago.
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