Pirates Could Trade Bullpen Duo

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen duo may not just serve as pieces at the MLB Trade deadline at the end of the month, but may go out in a trade together.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic reported that both right-handed relief pitchers David Bednar and Dennis Santana are almost certainyl leaving and that they could depart in just one trade.

"The Pirates have made everyone, apart from Paul Skenes and Andrew McCutchen, available at this year’s deadline," Bowden wrote. "Bednar and Santana are “all but gone,” according to one GM, and “could be packaged together.”

"Bednar has been much better after a poor 2024 season, logging a 2.73 ERA with 12 saves over 33 appearances. Santana has a 1.50 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and five saves over 36 games. Bednar, 30, and Santana, 29, are both controllable and arbitration-eligible in 2026"

Santana has starred for the Pirates this season, a 2-1 record over 37 appearances, a 1.46 ERA over 37.0 innings pitched with just six earned runs allowed, 10 holds, five saves in six attempts, 28 strikeouts over seven walks, a .172 opposing batting average and a 0.78 WHIP.

The Pirates claimed Santana off of waivers from the New York Yankees on June 11, 2024 and selected his contract on June 13.

Santana had a strong finish to last season, with a 1-1 record in 39 games, a 2.44 ERA over 44.1 innings pitched, 50 strikeouts to 11 walks and an opposing batting average of .192.

Bednar had a poor start to the 2025 campaign, especially in the opening series vs. the Miami Marlins, as he suffered two losses and had a 27.00 ERA.

These poor performances came after a bad campaign in 2024, where Bednar posted a 3-8 record, a 5.77 ERA in 57.2 innings pitched in 62 games, 23 saves and seven blown saves in 30 opportunities, while also losing his starting job as closer.

The Pirates sent Bednar down to Triple-A Indianapolis on April 1, where he allowed just one hit and no runs with seven strikeouts over five outings.

Bednar came back up on April 19 and has spent the remainder of this season with the Pirates, finding his best form again.

He has made 30 appearances since coming back up to the MLB and has starred, with a 1.88 ERA over 28.2 innings pitched, allowing 21 hits, seven walks, seven runs, six earned runs and a home run, while posting 41 strikeouts and going 12-for-12 in save opportunities.

Bednar also won National League Reliever of the Month for June, with a 2-1 record in 10 appearances, five saves in five opportunities, no earned runs allowed over 10.0 innings pitched, allowing four hits, three walks, one intentional walk and a run, but no earned runs and posting 16 strikeouts over 36 batters.

He starred for the Pirates in 2022 and 2023, earning himself back-to-back All-Star appearances. He led the National League with 39 saves in 42 opportunities in 2023 with a 2.00 ERA in 67.1 innings pitched, and had 19 saves in 23 opportunities in 2022, with a 2.61 ERA in 51.2 innings pitched.

Pittsburgh landed Bednar in a three-team trade back on Jan. 19, 2021. They traded starting pitcher Joe Musgrove to the San Diego Padres for left-handed pitcher Omar Cruz, right-handed pitcher Drake Fellows and outfielder Hudson Head and got catcher Endy Rodriguez from the New York Mets.

Bednar hails from the Pittsburgh area, playing for Mars High School in Mars, Pa. and then pitched for Lafayette. The Padres selected him in the 35th round, the 1,044 overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft.

He makes $5.9 million in 2025 and while Santana makes less at $1.4 million, both have one more year of arbitration before hitting free agency after the 2026 season.

The Pirates, who sit 12 games behind .500, will likely sell at the deadline and these two players could bring in decent hauls for an organization searching for offense.