Mound Visit: Bednar finding 'conviction' in fastball
In his second appearance since returning from Class AAA Indianapolis, David Bednar was lights out Tuesday night in the Pirates' 9-3 win over the Angels at Angel Stadium.
The former two-time All-Star threw a clean seventh inning and didn't allow a hit or a base runner while throwing just eight pitches. Bednar induced one ground out, got Jo Adell to lineout softly to Isiah Kiner-Falefa and then climbed the ladder to strike out Kyren Paris with a 97 mph fastball up in the zone.
The last pitch of that sequence is exactly what the Pirates need to see from Bednar as he looks to regain his All-Star form. Earlier this season, and even last year when his struggles started to become apparent, it was a pitch that he would get beat on far too often. It was part of the reason his ERA ballooned to 27.00 after three appearances in Miami before being demoted to Indianapolis.
It's ultimately his bread and butter as both his curveball and his split-finger work off of it to keep hitters off balance. I asked Bednar tonight if it was a pitch he had to rediscover during his stint in the minor leagues and while he didn't say he lost confidence in it, he definitely found how he needs to approach hitters with it.
"My mindset has just always been go right after guys and just have full conviction in it and just stay attacking guys and keep my foot on the gas," Bednar said.
Bednar did that tonight as he mixed all three of his pitches, throwing his fastball five times, his curveball twice and his split-finger just once. Here's a quick look at the location of all eight of his pitches:
BASEBALL SAVANT
"I thought it was really good. Really good," Derek Shelton said of Bednar's outing. "Fastball was jumping out of his hand. It was outstanding."
Since rejoining the Pirates this past weekend, Bednar has allowed just two hits and struck out three in two innings of work. The Pirates are easing him back into high-leverage situations and tonight was a good spot for him to work with a three-run lead and he took advantage. For Bednar, that's all he's looking to do.
"It’s just taking each one and building momentum from the previous one and just keep this roll going," Bednar said.
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THE ASYLUM
Greg Macafee
8:10 am - 04.23.2025ANAHEIM, CALIF.Mound Visit: Bednar finding 'conviction' in fastball
In his second appearance since returning from Class AAA Indianapolis, David Bednar was lights out Tuesday night in the Pirates' 9-3 win over the Angels at Angel Stadium.
The former two-time All-Star threw a clean seventh inning and didn't allow a hit or a base runner while throwing just eight pitches. Bednar induced one ground out, got Jo Adell to lineout softly to Isiah Kiner-Falefa and then climbed the ladder to strike out Kyren Paris with a 97 mph fastball up in the zone.
The last pitch of that sequence is exactly what the Pirates need to see from Bednar as he looks to regain his All-Star form. Earlier this season, and even last year when his struggles started to become apparent, it was a pitch that he would get beat on far too often. It was part of the reason his ERA ballooned to 27.00 after three appearances in Miami before being demoted to Indianapolis.
It's ultimately his bread and butter as both his curveball and his split-finger work off of it to keep hitters off balance. I asked Bednar tonight if it was a pitch he had to rediscover during his stint in the minor leagues and while he didn't say he lost confidence in it, he definitely found how he needs to approach hitters with it.
"My mindset has just always been go right after guys and just have full conviction in it and just stay attacking guys and keep my foot on the gas," Bednar said.
Bednar did that tonight as he mixed all three of his pitches, throwing his fastball five times, his curveball twice and his split-finger just once. Here's a quick look at the location of all eight of his pitches:
BASEBALL SAVANT
"I thought it was really good. Really good," Derek Shelton said of Bednar's outing. "Fastball was jumping out of his hand. It was outstanding."
Since rejoining the Pirates this past weekend, Bednar has allowed just two hits and struck out three in two innings of work. The Pirates are easing him back into high-leverage situations and tonight was a good spot for him to work with a three-run lead and he took advantage. For Bednar, that's all he's looking to do.
"It’s just taking each one and building momentum from the previous one and just keep this roll going," Bednar said.
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Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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