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NEW YORK – Here was David Bednar in Monday’s nervous ninth inning, taking all of Yankee Stadium on another turbulent and uncertain ride.
“At the end of the day, it’s just finding a way,’’ Bednar said after – eventually – saving a little more than a 7-6 win against the defending AL champion Blue Jays.
Bednar saved the Yanks from the strong possibility of a second straight heartbreaking defeat, which would’ve been their eighth loss in 10 games.
He saved the home run heroics of Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr., each with a two-out, two-run homer off Yariel Rodriguez to provide a two-run lead in the seventh.
And, who knows, Bednar might’ve saved himself from at least a timeout in the closer’s spot.
Monday night’s 36-pitch Bednar epic came on the heels of Sunday’s blown save in the Subway Series finale, with a three-run lead and two outs against the Mets.
Nothing had come easy for Bednar during the last road trip, starting with Brice Turang’s walk-off homer at Milwaukee, and Monday’s important homestand opener was no different.
Except that he was in the handshake line at the end.
“There’s a way out of every situation. It comes down to executing one pitch at a time and slowing it all down,’’ said Bednar. “As simple as it sounds, it’s a lot tougher to do.’’
One win against a bitter AL East rival doesn’t lessen the worry surrounding the current Yankees bullpen makeup.
But the Bednar highwire-act save at least calms the waters and provides a possible springboard toward better performance.
After an “incredibly frustrating’’ Sunday that ended in defeat, “I knew I was going to be in there today and the guys needed me to do my job,’’ said Bednar.
“It wasn’t pretty,’’ with 17 pitches out of the strike zone. “Definitely plenty of things to work on,’’ but the Blue Jays were the ones lamenting a major missed opportunity.
On to protect a two-run lead, Bednar had already yielded a run, walked two batters, and was behind George Springer 3-and-0 with one out and runners at first and second.
With another genuine Yankee killer in Vlad Guerrero Jr. on deck.
Before the Stadium went into full revolt, Bednar threw three straight splitters to strike out Springer, then went to another full count before getting Vlad to ground out.
So, the Yanks’ worst loss of the year was followed by one of the season’s grittiest wins.
And it was one for the psyche, after the beatdown the Yanks absorbed from Toronto last year – all summer and into October, where it all ended in a four-game Division Series.
“We have a different mindset when it comes to them. We have that feeling. At least I do for sure,’’ said Chisholm.
“I know a couple of other guys in the clubhouse have that feeling like, ‘We owe you something and we’re going to show you what we’ve got.’ ’’
What the Yanks (29-19) have got, for now, is a valuable victory against Toronto (21-26) in the first of a four-game set, with the Jays still trying to find their footing.
And, yeah, we’ll all love to watch Cam Schlittler go against Toronto’s own late-season 2025 hero, Trey Yesavage, on Wednesday night.
Now, you wonder if Gerrit Cole might start Friday’s series opener against the first-place Rays.
“I’d say it’s on the table,’’ manager Aaron Boone said of that possibility, after the Yanks optioned rookie starter Elmer Rodriguez back to Triple-A to call up a fresh reliever in Yovanny Cruz.
In the original plan, Cole was to make one more minor league rehab start (Tommy John surgery rehab), but he’s already at 86 pitches and hitting 99-mph with his fastball.
“Whatever we do, it’s with the long game in mind,’’ said Boone. “A need doesn’t necessarily mean we’re bringing him back.’’
Well, the Yanks are already 0-3 against the Rays this year, and Boone’s club lost the division to Toronto – with the same 94 wins – because of the Blue Jays’ better head-to-head record.
After being roasted in ALDS Games 1 and 2 last year at Toronto, enjoying home field advantage, that importance was hammered home again.
Right now, Friday’s starter is TBD.
“If we feel like he’s absolutely ready to go and checked all the boxes, we’ll make that call,’’ Boone said of a decision that could be made Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: David Bednar save gives Yankees a valuable victory over Blue Jays
Continue reading...
“At the end of the day, it’s just finding a way,’’ Bednar said after – eventually – saving a little more than a 7-6 win against the defending AL champion Blue Jays.
Bednar saved the Yanks from the strong possibility of a second straight heartbreaking defeat, which would’ve been their eighth loss in 10 games.
He saved the home run heroics of Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr., each with a two-out, two-run homer off Yariel Rodriguez to provide a two-run lead in the seventh.
And, who knows, Bednar might’ve saved himself from at least a timeout in the closer’s spot.
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Monday night’s 36-pitch Bednar epic came on the heels of Sunday’s blown save in the Subway Series finale, with a three-run lead and two outs against the Mets.
Nothing had come easy for Bednar during the last road trip, starting with Brice Turang’s walk-off homer at Milwaukee, and Monday’s important homestand opener was no different.
Except that he was in the handshake line at the end.
“There’s a way out of every situation. It comes down to executing one pitch at a time and slowing it all down,’’ said Bednar. “As simple as it sounds, it’s a lot tougher to do.’’
One win against a bitter AL East rival doesn’t lessen the worry surrounding the current Yankees bullpen makeup.
But the Bednar highwire-act save at least calms the waters and provides a possible springboard toward better performance.
After an “incredibly frustrating’’ Sunday that ended in defeat, “I knew I was going to be in there today and the guys needed me to do my job,’’ said Bednar.
“It wasn’t pretty,’’ with 17 pitches out of the strike zone. “Definitely plenty of things to work on,’’ but the Blue Jays were the ones lamenting a major missed opportunity.
On to protect a two-run lead, Bednar had already yielded a run, walked two batters, and was behind George Springer 3-and-0 with one out and runners at first and second.
With another genuine Yankee killer in Vlad Guerrero Jr. on deck.
Before the Stadium went into full revolt, Bednar threw three straight splitters to strike out Springer, then went to another full count before getting Vlad to ground out.
You must be registered for see images attach
So, the Yanks’ worst loss of the year was followed by one of the season’s grittiest wins.
And it was one for the psyche, after the beatdown the Yanks absorbed from Toronto last year – all summer and into October, where it all ended in a four-game Division Series.
“We have a different mindset when it comes to them. We have that feeling. At least I do for sure,’’ said Chisholm.
“I know a couple of other guys in the clubhouse have that feeling like, ‘We owe you something and we’re going to show you what we’ve got.’ ’’
What the Yanks (29-19) have got, for now, is a valuable victory against Toronto (21-26) in the first of a four-game set, with the Jays still trying to find their footing.
And, yeah, we’ll all love to watch Cam Schlittler go against Toronto’s own late-season 2025 hero, Trey Yesavage, on Wednesday night.
Now, you wonder if Gerrit Cole might start Friday’s series opener against the first-place Rays.
“I’d say it’s on the table,’’ manager Aaron Boone said of that possibility, after the Yanks optioned rookie starter Elmer Rodriguez back to Triple-A to call up a fresh reliever in Yovanny Cruz.
In the original plan, Cole was to make one more minor league rehab start (Tommy John surgery rehab), but he’s already at 86 pitches and hitting 99-mph with his fastball.
“Whatever we do, it’s with the long game in mind,’’ said Boone. “A need doesn’t necessarily mean we’re bringing him back.’’
Well, the Yanks are already 0-3 against the Rays this year, and Boone’s club lost the division to Toronto – with the same 94 wins – because of the Blue Jays’ better head-to-head record.
After being roasted in ALDS Games 1 and 2 last year at Toronto, enjoying home field advantage, that importance was hammered home again.
Right now, Friday’s starter is TBD.
“If we feel like he’s absolutely ready to go and checked all the boxes, we’ll make that call,’’ Boone said of a decision that could be made Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: David Bednar save gives Yankees a valuable victory over Blue Jays
Continue reading...
