Ranking Yankees' David Bednar Landing Spots Entering Offseason

As the New York Yankees move forward with the offseason, the team does have a few key players entering free agency.

One of them is right-hander David Bednar, who become a major pillar of the bullpen for the team. New York did extend Bednar a qualifying offer, but the team is now looking to bring him back on a larger deal.

Bednar was awesome for the Yankees this past season, posting a 2.47 ERA over 64 appearances, posting 35 saves. The right-hander was one of the more impactful arms that the Yankees had, and replacing him wouldn't be easy at all.

New York will have some competition to keep the veteran in town, but this front office has to make sure to not allow him to leave town. Here are three of the best landing spots for Bednar heading into what should be an interesting offseason.

1. New York Yankees

The best place for Bednar to pitch next season is to remain in New York with the Yankees, keeping the bullpen together. The right-hander was a massive part to the Yankees relief system, and the front office has to keep him around going forward.

The qualifying offer does provide a decent safety net for the Yankees in case Bednar decides to sign elsewhere, but this team can't afford to lose him. New York should try to get him back on a multi-year deal, bringing stability back to the bullpen for 2027.

2. Chicago Cubs

After a tough ending to what was a good season for the Cubs, the front office will have to make some moves to get this team back in contention. Chicago has a nice core group on the roster, but the bullpen has been missing a high-profile arm for the back-end of the bullpen.

Bednar could fill that role for this team, giving this group an edge that it didn't have this past season. The Cubs know Bednar very well from his time with the Pirates, and he could be the missing piece for the bullpen.

3. Pittsburgh Pirates

After trading him away at the trade deadline last year, the Pirates have quietly become a good destination for Bednar. Bednar was loved during his tenure in Pittsburgh, but the team wasn't winning, and the front office elected to move him for assets.

But now, the Pirates could be contenders next season, and the team is in desperate need of some bullpen help. The veteran right-hander could look to return to his old team, but the big question is where the Pittsburgh front office will spend to bring him back.