David Bednar, who joined the New York Yankees at last year’s trade deadline, discussed his adjustment to the team and his baseball journey in an interview published on May 19. The conversation, conducted by Yankees Magazine deputy editor Jon Schwartz, explored Bednar’s move from the Pittsburgh Pirates to a high-pressure role with the Yankees.
The interview highlights how players must adapt quickly when traded mid-season, especially moving from a non-contending team to one focused on winning championships. Bednar described being “thrown right into the middle of a pennant race” as giving him “quite a bit” of adrenaline and said that joining the Yankees was “a whole lot of fun.”
Reflecting on his time with Pittsburgh, Bednar said: “I was fortunate enough to play for the team I grew up rooting for. And just all the ties, and having all the family come and support me…the whole thing was just so special.” He also commented on how playing in New York comes with higher expectations: “It’s the expectation of winning. And not just, ‘Let’s get into the playoffs.’ It’s the expectation of a World Series. That’s the goal. Everything else is a failure.”
Bednar talked about being drafted in the 35th round out of Lafayette College and working hard each day without many expectations early in his career: “I think it was just selling out to get better each day…when you look up, it’s amazing how far you can come.” He credited supportive people around him for helping along his path.
Discussing his first experience pitching as a Yankee after being traded, Bednar admitted it did not go as planned but found humor looking back: “You want to do your best to make a good first impression, and instead we’re getting off on the wrong foot.”
Looking ahead with optimism about playing alongside new teammates this season, he concluded: “It’s an incredible group of guys…the World Series is what you have your sights on. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
This interview appears in full in Yankees Magazine’s May edition.
