3 years agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates plan to continue splitting the closing duties between relief pitchers David Bednar and Chris Stratton, which is what they did last year when they traded away then-closer Richard Rodriguez to the Atlanta Braves. Bednar was 3-1 with a 2.23 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and three saves in 60 2/3 innings last year, averaging 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings with a curveball that induced a 46.8% whiff rate. Stratton has evolved from a starter, to middle reliever and now a high-leverage role. He led the team in wins (seven) and saves (eight) by using elite spin rates on his fastball and curve. Bednar is the better reliever of the two, but the fact that he'll be splitting save chances on a bad team makes him a low-end fantasy option for those chasing saves.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBaller
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Kevin Gorman