The end of the World Series officially marks the beginning of Major League Baseball's offseason. The New York Yankees are now faced with their biggest task: reconstructing to meet 2027 expectations. Free agency will play a big role in this process. Although the Yankees go into the offseason with their main core, they still have a lot of guys hitting the free agency shelves. A total of 10 Yankees players are going into free agency.
This includes names such as Trent Grisham , Jazz Chisholm Jr. , Paul Goldschmidt , John Schrieber, Tim Hill , Amed Rosario , Ryan Yarbrough , Paul Blackburn , and Michael Fulmer .
One name that the Yankees need to retain of them all is right-handed pitcher David Bednar . This should be high on the priority list during this free agency period.
The end to the postseason was unfortunate and eye-opening for the second season straight. We did see some individualism within this Yankees roster, and that said, we tend to take a closer look at the free agent scenario.
Bednar is on the list, and he should be the first one on the Yankees' offseason wish list. Both numerically and performance-wise, the right-handed pitcher has proven his worth and abilities. Bednar should be getting at minimum a qualifying offer.
The Yankees bullpen was stellar this season, with more reliability than it's ever had. Collectively, the Yankees bullpen ranked second in the Major Leagues, finishing with a 3.13 ERA, 45 saves, 484 hits allowed, 200 earned runs, 1.22 WHIP, 63 home runs allowed, 206 walks, and 542 strikeouts.
Bednar was a huge contributor to the success of the bullpen. As we know, the closer role is one hard one to come by in professional baseball. The Yankees have had their fair share of closer fillers over the years.
After Mariano Rivera , the position was very unstable and inconsistent. Aroldis Chapman may have been the team's best option until issues arose with him. Following Chapman was Clay Holmes , who also started stellar and slowly dug himself a hole.
Luke Weaver was his temporary replacement throughout the 2024 postseason until the Yankees hit the offseason that year. Devin Williams was brought into New York for the closer role, and really did not live up to expectation.
In fact, he caused concern, eventually forcing the Yankees to shop for some closer experience. This is how Bednar was brought to the Bronx, coming over in a trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Of Major League Baseball's 30 closer spots, David Bednar and the Yankees sat sixth on ESPN's rankings for 2026. The Yankees right-handed stopper played in 64 games and 69 ⅓ innings pitched.
He finished with a 7-3 win-loss record, 2.47 ERA, 35 saves, four blown saves, and an 89.7% save rate. Bednar finished with a lower hard-hit percentage than last season, at 35.7%, and a .205 batting average against.
Sep 23, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher David Bednar (53) follows through on a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Yankees closer has shown quality in crucial relief, and there was never any doubt about bringing him late into the game. Unless the club has intentions of buying another high-end closer, Bednar should be a top priority. He should definitely also be considered as a setup man, should plans sway to another closer.
To be fair and cautious at the same time, the club should consider a two-year contract, three years maximum in this term. The right-hander is absolutely worth the contract, and he has done a lot for his stock in the market. David Bednar will get a good contract no matter where he goes.
It's important that the Yankees not go overboard with a yearly commitment, but give him something that makes sense for both parties. Two to three years would be ideal and safe.
Main Photo: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
