Pirates bullpen left scrambling after losing All-Star closer to oblique strain
Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar
Prior to Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Rays, the Pirates placed closer David Bednar on the 15-day injured list due to a left oblique strain. The placement is retroactive to June 20. Left-hander Justin Bruihl was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.
Bednar last pitched on Wednesday and Pirates GM Ben Cherington said in his weekly radio show (hat tip to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) said that the right-hander “felt a little something in his left side” following that outing. Bednar and the team took a few days to rest and evaluate the situation, but after Bednar still felt some tightness after a throwing session, an IL trip was deemed necessary.
Cherington described the placement as somewhat preventative, as Bednar’s strain is considered relatively mild and there is hope he might be able to return once his minimum 15 days are up.
"We need him for the biggest part of the season, as possible….Hopefully," Cherington said, "that means it’s a short stay on the IL, rather than it turning into something bigger and it being a longer absence.”
The Bucs dropped to 37-40 after Sunday’s loss, but remain just a couple of games out of a wild-card berth in the very crowded NL postseason race. A hot week could easily get Pittsburgh into a playoff position, though the team’s struggling lineup will have to start producing, and naturally losing their closer for at least 15 days won’t help the Pirates’ chances.
Owner Bob Nutting believes his team can stay in contention and recently said that the Pirates could make some additions at the July 30 trade deadline (and possibly receive some extra payroll space to make those adds). However, given the Bucs’ lack of offense and now this hit to their bullpen, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Pittsburgh explored being deadline sellers if the team can’t get on track, or if other NL clubs start to catch fire and create some real space in the wild-card race.
Bednar’s injury could make his trade candidacy a moot point, but even if he did return in 15 days and the Pirates looked to deal some players at the deadline, it isn’t likely that he’d be on the move by July 30. While Bednar’s name has long been linked to trade speculation, the Bucs have shown that they’re eager to properly end their rebuilding period, so it isn’t likely that they would move such an effective closer in short order. It isn’t out of the question that the Pirates could still trade Bednar as his price tag continues to rise during his arbitration years, but that concept will likely be explored more in the offseason than within the next month.
An All-Star the last two seasons, Bednar has a 5.17 ERA over 31 1/3 innings this year due to a very rough start. After posting an 11.45 ERA over his first 13 appearances and 11 innings, Bednar has righted the ship and delivered a 1.77 ERA across his last 21 games and 20 1/3 innings.
With Bednar sidelined, Cherington said it’ll be “all hands on deck” for closing duties. Aroldis Chapman and Colin Holderman are the likeliest candidates to earn saves – Holderman has been the more effective of the two pitchers this season, though Chapman has a long history of past closing experience.
The Pirates could also get some bullpen reinforcements coming in the form of Ryan Borucki, as the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Kevin Gorman writes that Borucki is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Tuesday. Borucki hasn’t pitched since April 5 since a case of left triceps inflammation sent him to the 15-day and then the 60-day injured list.
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