During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z, an alphabetical, player-by-player look at the 40-man roster.

Player: David Bednar

Position: Closer

Throws: Right

Age: 29

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 250 pounds

2023 MLB statistics: Went 3-3 with a 2.00 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 39 saves in 67 1/3 innings over 66 appearances, averaging 10.7 strikeouts and 2.8 walks per nine innings.

Contract: First year of eligibility for arbitration.

Acquired: From San Diego in a three-team trade that sent pitcher Joe Musgrove to the Padres in January 2021.

This past season: Where Derek Shelton had been reluctant a season earlier to call Bednar the team’s closer, even after he was selected for the All-Star Game, the Pirates manager changed his tune.

“I think he’s become one of the elite closers in the game,” the Pirates manager said. “We talk about our bullpen now in terms of guys pitching themselves into roles. ‘Beddy’ pitched himself into a role.”

David Bednar was asked what it means to him that Pirates manager Derek Shelton and teammates Austin Hedges and Rich Hill call him one of the best closers in baseball. pic.twitter.com/CpxoA6Thim

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) June 5, 2023

Happy birthday to the best closer in MLB, David Bednar!!!

• 39 saves (tied for most in NL)• 92.9% save percentage (best in MLB)• His bobblehead plays Renegade • 222 ERA+ pic.twitter.com/1fzeCw7Z7t

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) October 10, 2023

Bednar not only became the Pirates’ closer but developed into one of baseball’s best. He converted an MLB-best 92.9% of his save opportunities, and his 39 saves were tied with San Francisco’s Camilo Doval for the second-most in the majors behind Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase (44).

And Bednar did that despite missing a month.

Where Bednar was out for nearly two months in 2022 with back issues, this absence wasn’t related to an injury. Instead, it was the Pirates slipping into a tailspin in May.

After recording nine saves in 10 opportunities — he blew a two-run lead in the ninth by giving up a two-run double in the ninth in a 7-4 loss to the Houston Astros on April 11 — Bednar went 30 days without a save opportunity as the first-place Pirates went 8-18 in May.

“The biggest thing that stands out there is he went almost a month without a save, too, when we went through that stretch where we didn’t play very well,” Shelton said. “I think that speaks to how good he’s been.”

Bednar showed just how good when he got his chance. He had four saves in a six-day span in early June, and recorded 17 saves by the All-Star break. Even in his seven non-save appearances, Bednar didn’t change his mindset. He treated them like high-leverage situations.

“Honestly, I think if you take your foot off the gas even a little bit I think they can sense that,” Bednar said, “so I try to still go high-intent, high-everything and still try to get guys out and stay sharp.”

Although he wasn’t initially selected, Bednar was later added to the National League roster and joined Shelton and starter Mitch Keller at the Midsummer Classic in Seattle.

Bednar was so good that he attracted interest at the trade deadline, as the Pirates fell out of contention. There was concern that the Pirates could trade one of their most popular players, but they placed a value on the community service by the two-time Roberto Clemente Award nominee who is unfailing in representing the team at public events.

"With the opportunity I have to be from Pittsburgh and play for the Pirates, I try to carry on his legacy as best I can."

David Bednar is very proud and thankful to represent Roberto Clemente and our city. pic.twitter.com/xe3Vm6U4YI

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 15, 2023

Pirates GM Ben Cherington on listening to offers but not trading All-Stars Mitch Keller and David Bednar pic.twitter.com/kVb33fO2fY

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) August 2, 2023

When the Pirates opted to keep Bednar and Keller at the trade deadline, there was a sigh of relief in the home clubhouse, as they are considered building blocks for the future. But both struggled in the immediate aftermath.

The Renegade, a nickname given to Bednar by Pirates broadcasters that’s a nod to his walk-out to the Styx song that also serves as a Steelers anthem, didn’t blow a save until August.

Then he blew ninth-inning leads twice in a four-day span. The first came when Sal Frelick hit a game-tying single at Milwaukee on Aug. 5, the second when the Atlanta Braves scored three runs in the top of the ninth.

His Pirates teammates never wavered in their support of Bednar, believing it was just a blip in a season of dominance.

“There’s no doubt in any of our minds in here when the ninth inning comes around and he gets the ball,” Keller said, “that he’s gonna seal the deal.”

Keller was correct. Over Bednar’s final 20 appearances, the Pirates went 18-2. He was 0-1 with a 1.83 ERA and 16 saves, recording 23 strikeouts and six walks while holding opponents to a .222 batting average.

“Honestly, I think it’s just more of being in that position and helping the team win and kind of solidifying the back end of the game and finishing games off,” Bednar said. “Whenever one of the guys put me in that position, I want to come through — because they’ve been grinding all game — and steal the last three outs and collect some victories.”

David Bednar, Heaters ???????? pic.twitter.com/Ie9eLRdf4S

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 14, 2023

David Bednar, 97mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/zsGMyXosSE

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 3, 2023

The future: It should come as no surprise that, after outfielder Bryan Reynolds and Gold Glove third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, the first two players Shelton mentioned as having defined roles for next season were Keller and Bednar.

Bednar ranked among baseball’s best, per Statcast, in chase rate (34.5%), whiff rate (32.8%), fastball velocity (96.6 mph), barrel percentage (5.2%) and strikeout rate (28.9%).

“You don’t see a lot of closers or even back-end leverage guys who have three elite pitches — and we’re talking with the curveball and the split, along with the fastball — the ability to do that,” Shelton said. “And the other thing with David is he stays in attack mode and he goes right at you. And because the fastball has so much late life to it, it’s hard to hit in the zone.”

Such stuff usually comes with a high price tag. Ten relievers made $10 million or more last season, with New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz signing a five-year, $102-million deal.

Bednar enters his first year of arbitration eligibility this offseason. MLB Trade Rumors projected him to earn $4.7 million, which would amount to a $3.955 million raise. That could make Bednar a candidate for either a long-term extension or make him a potential trade piece to package for premium needs such as starting pitching or a first baseman.

The Mars alum has made it clear that he prefers to play in his hometown — he lives in the North Hills year-round — so he appears receptive to a team-friendly deal.

“I’m always open to everything,” Bednar said. “That’s all the business side and I’ll leave that up to my agent.”

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