Could the Boston Red Sox trade for their closer for the foreseeable future prior to the 2022 Major League Baseball trade deadline on Aug. 2?
Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar is proving to be one of the best relievers in the National League, and is on a last-place team with no sign of hope in the near future. The Pirates will certainly be sellers at the deadline, it's simply a matter of how far out they project a turnaround to come.
The Pirates traded away a reliever with years of team control remaining when they dealt Austin Davis to the Red Sox last season. Like Bednar now, Davis had 4.5 years left of team control at last year's deadline.
Bednar has been lights out as the Pirates closer with a 1.34 ERA and a 46-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 33 2/3 innings to go along with 11 saves in 13 opportunities. Furthermore, the 27-year-old ranks in the 99 percentile for strikeout rate (36.2%), 95 percentile in whiff rate (34.6%) and ranks incredibly well in expected batting average and expected ERA.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom already made a near identical move with the Pirates a year ago, and Bednar is an even more enticing trade target, though realistic. The acquisition of the rising reliever would fit into the mold of Bloom's game plan -- improve the team in the present and the future. He'll always lean toward more impactful moves than selling the farm system for two months of one player, and Bednar would be the perfect target to accomplish said goal.
While Bednar likely should remain a closer, adding the right-hander only benefits the back of the bullpen. With the emergence of Houck and John Schreiber, the Red Sox bullpen would be in great shape should they acquire the Pirates sure-fire All-Star candidate.
