Pirates 3 Takeaways: Bryan Reynolds, David Bednar Still Pirates, At Least Through This Season (+)
Bryan Reynolds and David Bednar will remain with the Pittsburgh Pirates through the end of the season. That is not really a surprise.
The Pirates had been telling teams for weeks that they would need to be overwhelmed to part with either player.
No one tempted general manager Ben Cherington enough before Major League Baseball’s trade deadline passed Tuesday night. The Pirates then beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 at PNC Park in the opener of a three-game series.
Both are key players for the rebuilding Pirates
Reynolds started for the National League in last year’s All-Star Game. Bednar pitched for the NL in this season’s Midsummer Classic.
More importantly, Reynolds is not eligible for free agency until following the 2025 season and Bednar can’t hit the market until the year after. That makes both affordable in the near term, even by Pirates’ penny-pinching standards.
While Cherington acknowledged the importance of the players, he also gave no indication the Pirates are willing commit to Reynolds or Bednar for the long haul.
“We feel like the word is ‘urgency.’ We just want to be urgent about getting better all the time,” Cherington said. “Those are two guys that would be really important parts to getting better quickly. We respect the heck out of them as people, as players. Value what they do for the Pirates, on and off the field.
“I’m really glad they’re Pirates today and tonight, and we’re thrilled that we get a chance to keep building not just with those two guys, but with many others in this organization. At the same time, look, there’s clearly a lot of things we have to do better. A lot of areas to get better if we’re going to win at the level we need to win at, there’s a lot to do. We continue that work.”
So, expect Reynolds and Bednar to be in more trade rumors during the offseason. Time will tell if Cherington will be tempted to trade either or both in the winter but it is certainly clear it is far from certain the duo will be with the Pirates on opening day in 2023.
Rookie-Fueled Rally
Down 3-0, the Pirates scored all five of their runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on the way to snapping their seven-game losing streak.
The most impressive aspect of the Pirates’ rally was it came primarily against Corbin Burnes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner. Burnes brought a five-game winning streak into Tuesday.
Rookies Bligh Madris and Cal Mitchell drew consecutive walks off Burnes before fellow rookie Oneil Cruz belted a three-run home run to tie the score. Cruz’s blast traveled 408 feet and came on a changeup.
Tyler Heineman singled in the go-ahead run off Brad Boxberger later in the inning then scored an insurance run on a passed ball.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton was impressed with how his rookies battled a premier pitcher, especially after Burnes retired all three in order in the second inning. That left Ben Gamel stranded at third base following a leadoff triple.
“For (Cruz) to take an 87-, 88-mph changeup that looked like it was off the plate away and hit it straightaway to dead center field off the reigning Cy Young Award winner, I think it’s a huge moment,” Shelton said. “I want to make sure we highlight the two at-bats before that, because with Madris and Mitchell, because earlier in the game, we talk about rookies are going to do things that frustrate you, and they’re going to do things that make you smile.
“The first time through (the batting order), Burnes got them to chase and got ‘em with a runner at third. Really didn’t throw either one of them very many strikes. And for them to come back later in the game and have the approach they have, I think that culmination of three hitters there makes you really excited at times, where you can get really frustrated earlier in the game. I give all three of them a ton of credit, and then Oneil finished it.”
Crowe Wraps It Up
It was a surprise when Wil Crowe was called on to pitch the ninth inning with a two-run lead instead of Bednar. It turns out Bednar was unable to pitch because of a lower-back issue.
The back has bothered Bednar on and off in recent weeks and Shelton would not rule out an injured list stint.
“I think we’ll probably make that determination over the next day or two just to see where he’s at and see how see how he responds,” Shelton said.
Crowe allowed a hit but struck out the side in notching his third save of the season. Normally a set-up reliever, Crowe says he does feel extra pressure when called on to protect a lead in the ninth inning.
“I like to win, and I like getting outs,” Crowe said. “It doesn’t matter it’s the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth or 10th inning. It’s my job to get outs and hopefully then come in (the clubhouse) and celebrate and do some goofy things with the rest of these guys.”