'Just unbelievable:' Bednar returns from Classic ready for season

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Of course David Bednar found a way to rep Pittsburgh at the World Baseball Classic.

The Pirates' closer had the Clemente Bridge on his cleats and on his glove to make sure the tournament had "a little Pittsburgh flair." If it didn't necessarily stand out, that's fine. The whole tournament had plenty of flair in general, providing some of the most exciting and most watched baseball games in recent memory, culminating in a dramatic 3-2 win by Team Japan over Team USA in the finals. 

It was intense, dramatic and everything the sport hoped it would be. So what's it like coming back to spring training after that world showcase? Well...

"Definitely a different vibe coming into spring training after that," Bednar joked, now back in the familiar LECOM Park clubhouse Thursday ahead of the Pirates' 7-4 loss to the Red Sox.

Bednar says he is "about as ready as I’ve ever been," which is good news for those who were worried he could be a little behind like how starters Roansy Contreras and Luis Ortiz were once they returned from the WBC. Perhaps that is natural for a reliever like Bednar, who was surprised at just how intense the games were.

"Every single game, every pitch mattered," Bednar said. "You can really sense that everybody had the extra pride of really playing for their country and trying to represent their country the best that they could. The atmosphere certainly reflected that. "

That game intensity will start to pick up in a week, when the Pirates travel to Cincinnati to take on the Reds opening day. Until then, those memories from Phoenix and Miami will last.

"Unbelievable. It’s such an honor to have the opportunity to play for your country, have USA across your chest," Bednar said. "It’s really special. The whole thing was done so well. You guys saw all the games, just unbelievable throughout the whole process. Really, really cool."

Bednar represented the jersey well, allowing one run on three hits over his four innings, striking out five. That included closing out Team USA's first win of the tournament:

One of those three hits allowed was a Shoehi Ohtani infield single that was reviewed but eventually upheld. A subtle reminder to the rest of the league that he can not only pitch and hit, but also run.

"Honestly," Bednar admitted, "it was trying to punch a ticket."

Well, that happens sometimes when you square off against the game's elite. Mike Trout saw that first hand when his Angels teammate Ohtani struck him out to end the championship game.

"What are the chances of that actually happening?" Bednar said. "What an at-bat, too. I was top step of the dugout, hanging on every pitch just to see two of the guys that are at the top of the game right now in so many different ways, and to have that be the last out — unbelievable."

Bednar had previously gotten a chance to rub elbows with the game's elite at least year's All-Star game, but that was just a couple days. This was a couple weeks, giving him more time try to pick something up from his teammates. The lesson he learned, though, was already pretty familiar for him.

"It’s grinding every single day and they do with the best of them with a laser focus intent," Bednar said. "I think that’s just one of those things that just being a fly on the wall and watching some of those guys go about their day... Go about your business the right way with good intent and good things happen."

There were plenty of positives for Bednar, but there was always one looming talking point the entire tournament: The injuries.

While the Pirates did not have anyone get hurt, Mets closer Edwin Díaz suffered a season-ending knee injury celebrating a win and Astros second baseman José Altuve will miss several months after being hit in the hand with a pitch and breaking his thumb. Those losses made some question if the entire tournament is worth it.

Well, Bednar would happily return in 2026 if given the opportunity, which should show where he falls on the issue.

"The amount of pride that everybody had in playing for their country, it was cool to see it was kind of a universal feeling [among] everybody we played, especially seeing it in our locker room," Bednar said. "There’s no egos there. Everybody was in the same boat. Everybody was pulling in one direction, really just wanting to win. Like I said, that pride of having U.S.A. across the chest is something super special and you can’t really put into words how meaningful it is."

MORE FROM THE GAME

• Johan Oviedo became the second man up today when the Pirates opted to use Duane Underwood Jr. as an opener. Underwood would surrender a two-run homer, and while Oviedo would too, it was the lone hiccup in the latter's four innings of work. He allowed those two runs over four innings, allowing just three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.

Omitting the home run pitch, Thursday was arguably the best his slider has worked all spring, getting nine whiffs on 17 Red Sox swings, five of them for strikeouts.

"The slider this spring has been more consistent, but definitely today I’ll take a good day. The last two outings it has been getting better and better. Today I was throwing it harder than usual. Definitely was good. Feel great."

Using Oviedo as a bulk guy/reliever could be a late development in the Pirates' pitching plan. While the team views him as a starter, both Jarlín García and Robert Stephenson will almost certainly start the year on the injured list, meaning that perhaps Oviedo will need to get looks out of the bullpen early this season.

"Whatever comes during the season or after today, just try to rock with it and keep working on that," Oviedo said.

Chase De Jong allowed a two run homer in his inning, and Colin Holderman surrendered an insurance run as well in the eighth.

• Kevin Plawecki's locker was cleaned out by the time the game ended Thursday. Plawecki was in competition for the backup catcher job, but evidently did not win the position battle.

Unless the Pirates make a late addition, that means either Tyler Heineman or Jason Delay, the team's two primary catchers last year, will be the opening day backup.

• Keeping tabs on the other Pirates in competition for roster spots:

Ji Hwan Bae went 2-for-3, while Rodolfo Castro went 1-for-2 with the game-ending strikeout and this 409-foot bomb:

Canaan Smith-Njigba got the Pirates on the board with a second inning RBI double and later scored. Travis Swaggerty walked twice in his two trips to the plate off the bench. Miguel Andújar singled in his only trip to the plate.