Pirates' David Bednar Wants To Move Forward
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher David Bednar didn't have the 2024 season he wanted at all, the worst of his MLB career so far.
Bednar struggled last season for the Pirates, with a 3-8 record, a 5.77 ERA in 57.2 innings pitched in 62 games, 23 saves and seven blown saves in 30 opportunities.
He started off the season poorly, blowing three saves in his first four save opportunities, but managed to get things back on track, and avoiding a blown save from April 12-Aug. 3.
Bednar struggled again in August, as the Pirates went 8-19 in the month after spending time competing for a National League wild card spot.
He blew saves in back-to-back games against the San Diego Padres at home on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8 and lost games with the score tied against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 11 and the Texas Rangers on Aug. 21, both on the road.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton removed Bednar as the primary closer on Aug. 30, going by committee the rest of the season.
Bednar has had a solid spring training so far for the Pirates. He pitched a scoreless fifth inning in the 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in the Grapefruit League at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla., striking out two batters and not allowing a baserunner.
He spoke with Hannah Mears of SportsNet Pittsburgh after the game and said that he's feeling grood this Spring Training and ready for the season.
“Yes, absolutely. You want to be good at the right time and get everything together as the season goes," Bednar said. "Feeling good and feeling strong."
The Renegade on the bullpen's goals this season ⬇️
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) March 18, 2025
"We got a lot of guys with a lot of really great stuff... it's really gonna be that next man up mentality."@mearshannah_ | #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/CIKy9LQQEb
While Bednar struggled last season, he also had incredible performances in both 2023 and 2022, proving himself amongst the best closers in baseball.
Bednar earned himself back-to-back All-Star appearances and led the National League with 39 saves in 42 opportunites in 2023 with a 2.00 ERA in 67.1 innings pitched. He also had 19 saves in 23 opportunites in 2022, with a 2.61 ERA in 51.2 innings pitched.
He wants to get back to that level of pitching and earn himself that closer role again for this season and said that most of it is just pitching with the confidence he had those two seasons.
"Yeah, I think I just have to remind myself that I am good and it’s the confidence that whenever I used to attack hitters in the zone," Bednar said. "Just be in the zone, as easy as that sounds, just having that confidence and keep going after guys."
Bednar is also excited for what the Pirates' bullpen will bring this season. He'll join pitchers like Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski, Kyle Nicolas, Dennis Santana, free agent signing Caleb Ferguson and others, who will look to complement a fantastic starting rotation.
“I think we got a lot of guys with a lot of really great stuff. It’s really impressive and it’s going to take everybody," Bednar said. "Everybody’s cooking on the same page and like I said, we’ve got a really impressive group and how they handle themselves on-and-off the field, it’s really impressive. It’s really going to be that next man up mentality."
“It’s been really fun to watch. Everybody competing and it’s going to make everybody better."
Bednar also spoke on the importance on having a good outing like he did vs. the Phillies and how that will benefit him going forward, with the regular season starting in just one week.
“Yeah absolutely," Bednar said. "Kind of throughout spring for the most part, just being able to build one after another and make little tweaks here and there and like I said, this last week is where it’s time to put it all together and get ready for the season.”
