The New York Yankees are facing a strategic decision regarding their bullpen as closer David Bednar heads toward free agency this offseason.
Bednar has been dominant recently, throwing 23.2 consecutive scoreless innings across 20 appearances, with 24 strikeouts and only eight hits allowed.
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His performance has helped the Yankees maintain the best bullpen ERA in MLB at 3.01, with Fernando Cruz, Brent Headrick, and Paul Blackburn also handling high-leverage duties.
Bednar's strong run follows a difficult start to his contract year, which included a blown save against the New York Mets on May 17 and a tough outing against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Since those early struggles, he has allowed two baserunners in an inning only three times, stranding all of them, and stabilized the back end of the bullpen.
Since becoming a full-time major leaguer in 2021, Bednar has posted an ERA above 3.00 only once, during a 2024 season where he recorded a 5.77 ERA and was briefly optioned.
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The Yankees previously invested heavily in high-leverage relievers between 2016 and 2019, including Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, and Dellin Betances, allocating nearly $48 million toward their top four relievers in 2019.
After injuries and declining performance, the front office shifted to low-cost acquisitions and internal development, producing successes like Clay Holmes, Jonathan Loaisiga, and Michael King.
In 2025, New York acquired Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers but let both Williams and Luke Weaver depart in free agency.
Bednar took over closing duties last August.
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Now, Bednar's free agency presents a crossroads for the Yankees' bullpen philosophy, as they weigh spending on a proven closer against their recent low-cost approach.
