The Pittsburgh Pirates have demoted two-time All-Star closer David Bednar to Triple-A Indianapolis, the team announced Tuesday. This decision opens a roster spot for right-hander Thomas Harrington, who will start Tuesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. This will mark Harrington’s MLB debut.
Bednar, 30, has had a rough start to the season, retiring only three of the nine batters he’s faced across his three appearances. He incurred losses in two of the Pirates’ three walk-off defeats to the Miami Marlins during the weekend. In the one save he secured, Bednar gave up a two-run home run, significantly reducing a three-run lead to a nerve-wracking single-run victory.
From 2021 to 2023, Bednar was among the most dominant relievers in baseball, logging 179 2/3 innings with a 2.25 ERA and 226 strikeouts. However, his performance nosedived last year, leading to a 5.77 ERA in 57 2/3 innings, prompting his removal from the closing role in August.
His current salary of $5.9 million places him as the fifth-highest paid player on the team, below other notable players like Mitch Keller, Bryan Reynolds, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Ke’Bryan Hayes. Without improvement, Bednar risks being non-tendered after the season.
To avoid service time issues following his demotion, Bednar must spend a minimum of 97 days in the minors, which would delay his free agency from the 2026-27 offseason to the 2027-28 offseason. If the situation deteriorates, keeping him in Triple-A for an extended period may not be a viable strategy.
Now that Bednar has been sent down, the Pirates are expected to opt for a committee approach for closing games, with Caleb Ferguson joining righties Colin Holderman and Dennis Santana in the mix. Holderman is anticipated to be the most likely candidate for the closer’s role if Pirates manager Derek Shelton desires a defined closer.
Bednar, a native of Pittsburgh, was obtained from the San Diego Padres in the Joe Musgrove trade a few years back. The Pirates are currently sitting at 1-4 in the early stages of the season.
