NEW YORK — The Yankees have a costly decision approaching, and it involves David Bednar.
A season that ended in another early exit has put Brian Cashman in position to either preserve a proven late-inning answer or reopen a problem his club spent years trying to solve.
New York’s sweep by Tampa Bay in the American League Division Series shifted attention immediately to a crowded offseason. The lineup needs repairs, several bullpen contributors can enter free agency, and the front office must evaluate how much to commit to players nearing or beyond their early 30s.
The Yankees can make an argument for avoiding long contracts with relievers. Performance often changes quickly, and a high salary for one ninth-inning arm can limit flexibility elsewhere. But removing a dependable closer would carry a cost beyond his next paycheck.
That risk grows with another New York club facing pitching decisions of its own. The Mets have brought several former Yankees across town in recent years. Another potential crossover would have a direct effect on both bullpens, even before the teams meet on the field.
Bednar becomes Cashman’s most consequential decision
That potential crossover centers on Bednar. The 32-year-old Yankees closer is a free agent after a 35-save season. Cashman has not secured a new agreement, and Bednar could enter a market where the Mets have an obvious need for additional high-leverage relief.
Bednar finished 2026 with a 2.47 ERA over 69 1/3 innings. He converted 35 of 39 save opportunities, struck out 76, walked 20 and allowed only four home runs in 64 appearances. Those totals placed him among the Yankees’ most dependable relief options.
His year was not flawless. Bednar surrendered 11 earned runs in his first 20 outings, a 4.95 ERA. Beginning May 18, however, he logged a 1.46 ERA over 49 1/3 innings and converted 25 of his final 27 save chances. The difference matters in evaluating whether New York would pay for a brief surge or sustained improvement.
Against the Rays, Bednar pitched three scoreless innings across three appearances, yielding one hit and striking out three. The Yankees’ playoff run ended in three games, but his performance offered little reason to question his readiness for high-leverage work.
Mets possibility creates a second layer of risk
The Mets’ connection remains a possibility rather than a completed recruitment effort. In an August discussion of how the Mets might rebuild for 2027, New York Post columnist Jon Heyman raised Bednar as a bullpen option. That was a suggested roster move, not a report that the Mets had contacted Bednar or his representatives.
The fit is straightforward. The Mets face bullpen reconstruction after a frustrating season, and they have experience signing players who previously wore pinstripes. Clay Holmes, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are among the former Yankees who have moved across town.
A pursuit of Bednar could put him alongside Williams in the back of the Mets’ bullpen. Nothing established as of Sunday confirms that the Mets intend to make an offer, let alone that Bednar prefers that destination.
For the Yankees, the problem is not simply the possibility of a rival acquiring their closer. Losing Bednar would leave Cashman trying to replace 35 saves while also deciding what to do with impending free agents Paul Blackburn, Tim Hill, Ryan Yarbrough and other relief options. The Mets would not have to win the bidding for the threat of competition to affect New York’s spending plans.
Qualifying offer gives Yankees one move before bidding starts
The Yankees have a temporary mechanism to protect their position. MLB’s qualifying offer for the coming offseason is projected around $23.1 million, pending formal agreement. Eligible teams have five days after the World Series to extend it, and players have 10 days to respond.
If Bednar accepts, the Yankees would keep him for one season at that salary. If he rejects, New York could continue negotiating and potentially receive draft-pick compensation if he signs elsewhere, subject to the applicable rules.
That choice involves an unusually high one-year salary for a reliever against the possibility of a longer agreement. A projected three-year, $45 million deal would average $15 million annually, less than the qualifying-offer figure but with considerably more guaranteed money. Neither number is a confirmed proposal to Bednar.
The uncertainty extends to baseball’s labor calendar. The current collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1, raising questions about the longer-term rules, although the existing qualifying-offer system remains in place for this offseason.
A narrow but revealing roster calculation
Bednar’s 35 conversions in 39 chances amount to an 89.7% save rate. His 76 strikeouts against 20 walks produced a 3.8-to-1 ratio. Along with four homers allowed in more than 69 innings, those figures explain why the Yankees could face a difficult task reproducing his role through a cheaper collection of arms.
Still, New York must evaluate how much of that value can reasonably be expected into Bednar’s mid-30s. Aaron Boone also needs dependable setup options ahead of the ninth inning. An expensive closer alone would not solve the Yankees’ broader bullpen needs.
As of Oct. 11, Bednar remains unsigned for 2027, the Yankees have not announced a qualifying-offer decision, and no confirmed Mets negotiation has surfaced. Cashman’s next bullpen decision could therefore determine not only what the Yankees retain but what becomes available to a cross-town rival.
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