David Bednar's Dominance Should Force Yankees to Break Emerging Trend

Paying relievers isn't a priority for this organization, but this might be an exception.

Jul 19, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) and relief pitcher David Bednar (53) celebrate after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There typically aren't many rules for a team with one of the biggest budgets in all of professional sports, but the $300 million Yankees have recently created an organizational philosophy for roster construction that best utilizes their large but not unlimited funds.

In recent years, the Yankees have been willing to let high-leverage relievers walk out the door with limited interest in ever adding an eight-figure reliever to the bullpen, instead relying on internal development with Matt Blake and Sam Briend's pitching lab to create cheap, internal options like Brent Headrick, Paul Blackburn, Jake Cousins, Lucas Luetge, Luke Weaver, etc.

That strategy leads to a revolving door at closer, one that David Bednar has occupied since last August, but he's going to hit free agency in the offseason. If history repeats itself, he won't be wearing pinstripes in 2026.

But in this unique situation, one where a closer's reliability and an organization's fleeting options come together, the Yankees should consider bucking the trend and re-signing Bednar in the offseason to make him a staple of the bullpen for years to come.

The Yankees' shift away from paying relievers

It was not too long ago that the Yankees fundamentally believed that a "super bullpen" was the way to success in the postseason. After all, the five championships won by the Core Four were centered on the greatest closer of all time, Mariano Rivera, and a rotating cast of reliable set-up men.

From 2016-19, the Yankees invested a ton into an effective bullpen. It started with "No Runs DMC" in the underwhelming 2016 campaign with Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, and Andrew Miller, which was partially deconstructed at that year's trade deadline. But when Chapman returned in 2017, they built it even deeper.

Future trades and signings brought Zack Britton, Adam Ottavino, Tommy Kahnle, David Robertson, and Chad Green into the fold over the next few years. In any given year, there were four high-leverage relievers at Aaron Boone's disposal, but the cost of that unit was getting up there.

In an organization that still tried to duck the luxury tax every three years before the pandemic, they allocated just under $48 million towards their top four relievers, over 20 percent of the team's $223 million payroll in 2019. While that investment paid off in a good overall unit, it left them shorthanded in filling out the rotation and gaps in the lineup.

What really signaled the shift, though, was the organization's pitching philosophy switching from Larry Rothschild's staff to Matt Blake's, which created more cheap options to eat valuable innings. It also didn't help that some of these relievers slowly lost efficacy.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) (right) and New York Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake (77) (left) look on during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Ottavino was a disaster in his second year as a Yankee in 2020, being salary-dumped to Boston in the offseason. Chapman got dramatically worse after the sticky stuff ban tanked his season in June 2021 and was very unreliable in 2022, to the point of losing his closer job. Britton's long run of reliability ended abruptly with injuries tormenting him in 2021, effectively wasting $26 million across his final two seasons in pinstripes with 19 total innings.

When you consider how these teams came up short in the postseason, the Yankees realized they could use the money better. In 2021, their setup men were almost exclusively cheap options, whether it was the homegrown Jonathan Loaisiga, the non-roster invitee Lucas Luetge, or Wandy Peralta, who was acquired for Mike Tauchman in a minor trade.

Also that season, they found an incredibly reliable reliever in Clay Holmes in a minor trade with the Pirates, turning him into their closer for the next 2.5 seasons. They continued to squeeze effective innings from internal development with Michael King and Clarke Schmidt before they transitioned to the rotation, made more under-the-radar signings with Luke Weaver, Jake Cousins, and Ian Hamilton, and churned out a very good bullpen with only one free agent contract in several years: Tommy Kahnle on a two-year, $12 million deal.

Ahead of 2025, the Yankees directly acquired a big-name closer for the first time in almost a decade when they got Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers. But his turbulent season, coupled with pending free agent Luke Weaver's drop in production, caused the team to double down on their internal strategy heading into 2026, letting both walk to the Mets and not seriously pursuing relievers like Edwin Diaz in the offseason, relying on their acquisitions at the 2025 deadline to hold them afloat.

Why David Bednar should be an exception

As unlikely as it might've sounded in March, the Yankees entered Sunday night's matchup with the Phillies with the league's best bullpen ERA at just 3.01, buoyed by the breakout success of Headrick and Blackburn with the reliable arms of Bednar and Fernando Cruz pitching a bulk of the high-leverage innings.

After a rough start to his contract year, Bednar's been one of the best relievers in all of baseball. His first two months were mired in inconsistency, locking down a majority of his save opportunities but never making it easy. A horrific blown save to Tyrone Taylor and the Mets on May 17, followed by barely surviving the following night in a rough outing against the Blue Jays, waned confidence in him, but he's responded by not allowing a run since.

In his last 20 outings, he has not allowed a run in 23.2 innings, giving up just eight hits and five walks with 24 strikeouts. He's only allowed two baserunners in an inning three times, stranding all of them. On a team that has not had many stretches of a no-stress closer in recent memory, Bednar has been automatic for the last two months.

New York Yankees pitcher David Bednar (53) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But even beyond these two months, he's been incredibly reliable in his big league career. Since becoming a full-time major leaguer in 2021, he's had an ERA north of 3.00 just once: his disastrous 2024 season (5.77), which led to him being optioned to the minors to work on things.

His four-seamer that sits 96-97 mph, coupled with a low 90s splitter, keeps hitters off balance, and he's managed with less of a reliance on his curveball, throwing it less since giving up the home run to Taylor back in May.

As he nears his 32nd birthday in October, he's the type of reliever that you can rely on for a new multi-year extension. We've seen guys maintain outlier pitches and productivity into their late 30s; just look at Fernando Cruz still having an elite splitter at age 36.

The Yankees will have a good chunk of salary off the books this offseason, with Trent Grisham and Jazz Chisholm Jr. also hitting free agency. And while they'll likely have to replace both, there still should be enough money to give Bednar what he's worth, especially in a weak free agent class.

His market will likely be around what guys like Devin Williams and Robert Suarez signed last offseason, with a ballpark value of around $50 million over three years. If the Yankees aren't getting a guy like Mason Miller at the trade deadline to fill those shoes, they should be fine splurging on Bednar and his brilliance.