New York Yankees Facing Agonizing David Bednar Dilemma

New York Yankees closer David Bednar certainly did not get off to a strong start in 2026. In fact, by mid-May, there were already calls to replace him.

But from that point on, Bednar knuckled down and established himself as one of the top shutdown relievers in baseball, posting a 2.47 ERA, 2.61 FIP and 1.038 WHIP over 64 appearances.

In fact, from June through the end of the season, Bednar surrendered a grand total of seven earned runs while walking just nine batters.

The problem? Bednar is slated to hit free agency this winter, and he is sure to attract a whole lot of attention on the open market.

So what should the Yankees do?

Of course, the natural inclination is to re-sign him. Good closers are hard to come by, and it seems fairly obvious that Bednar has grown very comfortable in the Bronx.

But Bednar is also 32 years old and will likely command a hefty contract, one the Yankees may not be willing to supply.

New York doesn't typically like to hand out big contracts to relievers. It tried that with Aroldis Chapman, and the results were not ideal.

And remember: Chapman was quite a bit younger than Bednar at that time.

It's also worth noting that Bednar's fastball velocity has dipped, going from 97.4 to 97.1 to 96.1 mph, respectively, between 2024 and 2026.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Bednar's strikeout rate tumbled this season, as well, with the right-hander averaging 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings. That was well below his 12.4 K/9 in 2025. To be fair, though, his career median sits at 10.8, and Bednar didn't seem to need a ton of strikeouts to dominate this season.

Bednar induced ground balls at a rate of 51.4 percent in 2026, which was, by far, a career high. So clearly, he's found a way to work around his decline in velocity. But is that sustainable? And do the Yankees want to find out?

New York has several key relievers hitting free agency, as Paul Blackburn, Ryan Yarbrough and Tim Hill will all be joining Bednar. Hill was terrible down the stretch, so he's probably gone. Blackburn, though, was outstanding all year, and Yarbrough's versatility is valuable.

If the Yankees do ultimately re-sign Bednar to an expensive contract, it could ultimately mean they will lose both Blackburn and Yarbrough, which would sting.

There are alternatives, of course. New York could always throw Ryan Weathers into the bullpen, and Carlos Lagrange could be an option next spring, as well.

But there is still no question the Yankees are facing a very difficult decision when it comes to Bednar, who might just be two or three years too old for New York's desires.