“The Burgh will always be home” - David Bednar pens emotional goodbye to Pirates after snapping Yankees' 5-game losing streak in debut

New York Yankees closer David Bednar had a remarkable start to his stint with the Bronx Bombers, earning a save in his first game on Wednesday to secure a 3-2 win against the Texas Rangers to end a five-game losing streak.

Bednar, who was traded to the Yankees by the Pittsburgh Pirates at Thursday's trade deadline, has already got Yankees fans cheering for him after his solid display in the series finale.

However, the two-time All-Star closer hasn't forgotten about the love and support he received from the Pirates during his four-year stint. He shared a heartfelt Instagram post to show his gratitude:

“Honored to have worn the black and gold in the city that I love,” Bednar said. “I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to play for the Pirates and will always cherish my time in the organization.

"It's hard to put into words what the city of Pittsburgh means to me and my family. The friendships and memories created with this team last forever. The Burgh will always be home."

David Bednar's two All-Star selections came with the Pirates in 2022 and 2023. His career year also came in Pittsburgh as he finished with the most saves in the National League during the 2023 season.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash