Perrotto: Pirates Leaving Themselves Naked in the Backend

There was a gnawing question about the Pittsburgh Pirates throughout spring training.

They continued to say that David Bednar would not necessarily be the closer when the season started. That made sense as the right-hander’s ERA rose to 5.77 last season following two All-Star Game selections. Bednar then allowed 10 runs in eight innings during Grapefruit League play.

Yet while the Pirates didn’t anoint Bednar as the closer right away in Bradenton, they also didn’t seem to have an alternate plan.

Sure enough, Bednar struggled Thursday when the Pirates came from ahead to lose to the Marlins 5-4 in Miami in their season opener.

Bednar entered the game to start the ninth inning with the score tied 4-4 after Colin Holderman squandered a 4-2 lead in the eighth. Bednar never recorded an out as he gave up a leadoff triple to Nick Fortes, intentionally walked Xavier Edwards and surrendered Kyle Stowers’ game-winning single.

It isn’t necessarily time to panic after only one game. However, there is reason to be concerned about Bednar.

The Mars High School graduate has stacked a bad opening-day performance on top of a bad spring training on top of a bad 2024 season. Bednar isn’t trending in the right direction.

That leads to the gnawing question: Who is the closer if Bednar needs to be removed from that role?

Last season, the Pirates had a fallback option in Aroldis Chapman. The seven-time All-Star recorded 14 saves.

The Pirates don’t have an obvious alternative this season.

Bednar has 84 career saves, but the other seven Pirates relievers have 31 in the major leagues. Justin Lawrence has the most with 14 followed by Caleb Ferguson (6), Tim Mayza (4), Dennis Santana (4), Holderman (2), Joey Wentz (1) and Ryan Borucki (0)

Lawrence is the only one with closing experience in the major leagues, and his time in that role was rocky (no pun intended). He had 11 saves for the Colorado Rockies in 2023, and seven blown saves.

It is hard to see Lawrence closing again. The Rockies designated him for assignment during spring training after he had a 6.49 ERA – and two saves – in 56 games last season.

Santana and Holderman are intriguing.

Santana pitched well for the Pirates last season after they claimed him off waivers from the New York Yankees, posting a 2.44 ERA in 39 games. He also had a solid spring, giving up two runs in 7.2 innings in Grapefruit League play.

Holderman’s ERA was 3.16 in 55 games last season and would have been lower if not for a horrific five-game stretch at midseason. He was also strong in the Grapefruit League, surrendering only one run in 7.2 innings.

However, both struggled on opening day.

Santana relieved Paul Skenes with one out in the sixth inning and the Pirates leading 4-1. Santana allowed an inherited runner to score and walked two of the three batters he faced.

Holderman also walked two batters while pitching the eighth inning. He surrendered back-to-back RBI singles to Otto Lopez and Dane Myers as the Marlins tied the game at 4-4.

Maybe Thursday was just a blip for Bednar, and he’ll regain his 2021-23 form when he had a 2.25 ERA over three seasons. Then again, closers often have short shelf lives, and the Pirates might eventually have to make a change

Yet the Pirates don’t have a closer in waiting, and that lack of planning is troublesome.