The New York Yankees are set to acquire right-handed closer David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates, ESPN and the New York Post reported Thursday.
The Pirates will receive three minor leaguers from New York: top catching prospect Rafael Flores, fellow catcher Edgleen Perez and outfielder Brian Sanchez, per the reports.
The Yankees also acquired right-handed reliever Jake Bird from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league second baseman Roc Riggio and left-handed prospect Ben Shields, ESPN reported.
Bednar, 30, is 2-5 with a 2.37 ERA and has 17 saves in 42 appearances for the Pirates this season. The two-time All-Star is 14-23 with a 3.23 ERA and 101 saves in 293 relief appearances over seven seasons with the San Diego Padres (2019-20) and Pirates (2021-25).
The Yankees now have three relievers with closer experience in the bullpen with Bednar, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. The Williams-Weaver duo has combined for 25 saves this season with Wiliams recording 17 of them.
Flores, 24, is batting .279 with 16 home runs and 60 RBIs in 97 combined games at Double-A and Triple-A in the Yankees’ system this season. The undrafted Orange County, Calif., native was in the Yankees organization for four seasons.
Perez, 19, and Sanchez, 21, are playing at Single-A this season.
Bird, 29, is 4-1 with a 4.73 ERA in 45 relief appearances this season. He is 11-10 with one save and a 4.57 ERA in 188 games (no starts) since making his MLB debut with Colorado in 2025.
Riggio, 23, is batting .264 with 18 homers and 45 RBIs in 62 games across three levels in the Yankees’ farm system this season.
Shields, 26, is 1-2 with a 3.03 ERA and in nine starts across four levels in the minors this season.
–Field Level Media
