The New York Yankees have to make a decision on David Bednar's future this offseason.
He is a free agent and was a very important part of the Yankees' bullpen this season. He should have plenty of interest in free agency, but the reliever market is always volatile. He had a 2.47 ERA and notched 35 saves. The two-time All-Star has a 2.39 ERA in the last two seasons, and the New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the Yankees will hit him with a qualifying offer.
"The Yankees are expected to extend the $23.15M qualifying offer to free-agent closer David Bednar, who had a terrific year, sources say,” Heyman wrote on Thursday.
The Yankees will surely be involved in Bednar's free agency, looking to lock him up for at least a couple of years. However, the qualifying offer secures the Yankees a chance to keep Bednar on a one-year deal should his market not materialize the way he wants. At the very least, the Yankees will at least get draft compensation if he rejects the qualifying offer and leaves.
Bednar is a steady force as the Yankees' closer, and if they lose him, they will have to find a way to replace him. There's no real replacement ready on the team, so they may have to find one in free agency. The easiest path to ensuring the bullpen is elite again next year is to re-sign Bednar.