- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Team logos and player headshots via ESPN.
The Yankees intend to issue a $23 million qualifying offer to David Bednar, according to Jon Heyman.
Bednar, who recently turned 32, serves as the club's closer after being acquired at the 2025 deadline. In 2026, he compiled a 2.47 ERA across 69.1 innings, with 35 saves in 39 chances, a 2.87 FIP, and 1.9 fWAR. He began the year unevenly, surrendering four runs in his first six appearances and taking a loss against the Athletics. May brought further difficulty, as he yielded a walk-off home run to Brice Turang on May 10 and a three-run shot to Tyrone Taylor on May 17. From that point, he converted 17 straight save opportunities.
The right-hander later authored a 24-inning scoreless streak into late July, holding opponents to eight hits, five walks, and one hit batter during that stretch. He recorded five-out saves against Cleveland and the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium, plus a six-out win against Washington. His WHIP over the final 43 appearances was 0.786, bringing his season mark to 1.04.
In the playoffs, Bednar threw three scoreless innings but did not face high-leverage spots amid Boston blowouts. The club has not committed over $10 million to a reliever since Zack Britton in 2019. Alternatives without Bednar include Brent Headrick, Carlos Lagrange, or a mid-level addition. A teammate said, "he was a rock all season long."
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).