The New York Yankees joined the list of teams to make a big move at the trade deadline in order to fortify their bullpen.
Multiple reports indicate that the Yankees and Pirates agreed to a trade that will send star closer David Bednar to New York in exchange for a package of prospects headlined by the organization's No. 8 ranked prospect, catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores.
Flores is highly regarded, having just recently earned his promotion to Triple A. Now, he'll look to develop into an everyday big league asset in Pittsburgh. Also in the trade is 19-year-old Edgleen Perez, the No. 14 prospect in the Yankees' farm, who also plays catcher and first base. The final component headed to the Pirates is Brian Sanchez, a 21-year-old outfielder currently at Single A.
Let's assess the deal:
Yankees: A-
Based on the way the reliever market has functioned this trade deadline, the Yankees could've been looking at a steeper cost to acquire Bednar than the one they paid. All things considered, it was not an inexpensive acquisition by any means, but it's a good deal for New York based on the state of the market.
Bednar is superb, logging 17 saves on the year to go with a 2.37 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 38 innings. He's surrendered just two runs over the last two months, having been dialed in throughout the summer.
The Yankees' bullpen has been utterly atrocious of late, so bringing in a steady arm like Bednar is a move the team simply couldn't afford to miss out on. They'll part ways with some valued prospects, but Bednar should give them the reliable option in late innings that they've been lacking in their current tandem of Luke Weaver and Devin Williams.
This move was a necessity for the Yankees. It didn't come cheaply, but the market for relief pitching is absurdly high at this point, so no deal for a quality late-innings pitcher would've been easy to pull off. New York gets one of the best relievers in the sport and holds onto all of its top five prospects in the process. Not bad at all.
Pirates: B+
It feels as if the Pirates could've gotten a slightly improved haul for Bednar, though adding two of New York's top 15 prospects is certainly solid for a reliever with only one additional season of control. Bednar had his ups and downs in Pittsburgh but was ultimately and excellent player for the organization. With the team continuing to rebuild, however, it was an obvious time to part with the veteran closer.
It certainly addresses an area of need for the Pirates, who, despite drafting Henry Davis with the No. 1 pick in 2021, are without a single catching prospect inside their top 20, per MLB Pipeline. Now, they get two catchers with bright futures who can eventually make an impact at the top level, while also lining up better with their current timeline.
In a sellers market, the Pirates were able to strengthen their farm, and it's hard to find anything to complain about that. A good deal for both teams, and one that will help the two sides get closer to achieving their goals.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as David Bednar Trade Grades: Yankees Stabilize Struggling Bullpen in Deal With Pirates.