The Renegade is heading to the Bronx.
The Pittsburgh Pirates dealt two-time All-Star closer David Bednar to the New York Yankees on Thursday afternoon in a trade-deadline deal for 24-year-old minor league catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores and two Low-A prospects.
Bednar was one of the most coveted closers on the trade market because of his controllable year beyond this season. He’s making $5.9 million this season and has one year of arbitration eligibility remaining.
The 30-year-old right-hander is 2-5 with a 2.37 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 17 saves in as many opportunities this season. He has been revitalized since an April demotion to Triple-A Indianapolis, posting a 1.70 ERA with 50 strikeouts and eight walks in 39 appearances since April 19.
The Mars alum, whose used the Styx song and Steelers anthem as his walk-out music, was one of the most popular Pirates players. He is a three-time Roberto Clemente Award nominee for his charity work off the field. On the mound, he had 101 saves in five seasons with the Pirates, earning All-Star selections in 2022 (39 saves) and 2023 (23 saves) before struggling at times last season.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Flores was the Yankees’ No. 8 prospect, batted .287/.346/.496 with 23 doubles, 15 home runs and 56 RBIs in 87 games at Double-A Somerset and was leading the Eastern League in extra-base hits (39) and total bases (166) and ranked second in hits (96) and RBIs before a July 19 promotion. In 10 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he batted .211 with a .289 slugging percentage.
Baseball America named Flores the Yankees’ minor league player of the year in 2024, when he batted .279 with 31 doubles, 21 homers and 68 RBIs in a season split between High-A Hudson Valley and Somerset.
Also expected to be included in the deal are 19-year-old catcher Edgleen Perez and 21-year-old outfielder Brian Sanchez.
The 6-3, 170-pound Sanchez, who was batting .281/.373/.438 with 16 doubles, five triples, four homers and 36 RBIs, is ranked the Yankees’ No. 24 prospect by Baseball America. The 5-10, 155-pound Perez was batting .209/.368/.236 with eight doubles and 26 RBIs.
