Trading David Bednar made sense for a Pittsburgh Pirates club nowhere near contention, especially in a booming reliever market, but that's also the problem. General manager Ben Cherington was gifted a prime sell-high opportunity to move him and command a significant haul. Yet, it feels like there was plenty of meat left on the bone in their deal with the New York Yankees surrounding the veteran right-hander.
The Pirates' return for Bednar wasn't great, particularly compared to what other teams around the league received for their high-end late-inning arms. Pittsburgh acquired three prospects from the Yankees for their longtime closer, though none are in the MLB Pipeline's Top 100. Moreover, and perhaps more concerningly, two of them are catchers: Rafael Flores and Edgleen Perez.
Not only is there positional redundancy between Flores and Perez, but Pittsburgh already has a backstop they're deeply invested in on the roster. Has Cherington forgotten about Henry Davis, or is this an admission that the 2021 No. 1 overall pick isn't the long-term solution at the position? Either way, it doesn't reflect well on the Pirates' top decision-maker and could be the final straw of several fireable offenses across five dismal seasons.
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David Bednar trade officially puts Pirates GM Ben Cherington on the clock
Flores and Perez are the Nos. 8 and 14-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system. Both can play first base if needed, which may even be a better long-term fit for the former given his catching woes. However, the latter is touted for his defensive prowess behind the plate. Meanwhile, despite a phenomenal college career, wildly lofty draft pedigree and producing in the Minors, Davis hasn't put it together in the Majors.
Davis has struggled in all facets of the game since the Pirates first promoted him in 2023. While he's shown marginal improvement as a batter this year compared to last, his metrics are all well below league average. The 25-year-old is slashing .175/.260/.286 with four home runs, 13 RBIs and a paltry .546 OPS across 154 at-bats in 2025.
Furthermore, Davis hasn't been a serviceable as a catcher. He doesn't frame or block well, ranking among the worst in baseball in strike rate and Blocks Above Average (BAA). If he can't hit or defend, what use do the Pirates have for him?