Ben Cherington's inaction just opened a Yankees escape hatch from Pirates' trade talks

The Pittsburgh Pirates were reportedly close to making a trade with the New York Yankees this weekend, but the Yankees were unable to meet Ben Cherington's demands for one of the top relievers on the market in David Bednar.

The market for bullpen help got even thinner on Thursday when the San Diego Padres acquired closer Mason Miller from the Athletics, but it may have actually opened up an opportunity for the Yankees to acquire a different shutdown closer – from the Padres, no less.

The Yankees have showed interest in Padres pitchers like Dylan Cease during the 2025 trade deadline, though those talks have stalled due to Padres’ high asking price and Cease’s impending free agency. New York still needs bullpen help, though, and the Padres' recent acquisition of Miller could make Robert Suárez more readily available in a trade.

Ben Cherington's inaction just opened a Yankees escape hatch from Pirates' trade talks

Suárez has quietly become one of the most dominant late-inning relievers in baseball, boasting an upper-90s fastball, a wipeout changeup and a solid cutter. He's built for October, demonstrating a proven ability to perform under pressure while keeping hte ball in the park, limiting walks and racking up whiffs. The Yankees could certainly benefit from a high-leverage arm that doesn't rattle easily, especially after bullpen collapses in recent postseasons.

Suárez is also under contract through at least 2026 with a team option for 2027, giving the Yankees a slightly longer window of control than they would have with Bednar. As such, he gives the Yankees a long term bullpen anchor and reduces their urgency to overpay for a free agent reliever in the offseason. The cost may be high in a trade, but he fits the Yankees' need for cost-controlled, elite talent.

Cashman has a track record of acquiring high-octane relievers midseason, including David Robertson, Scott Effross and Zack Britton. Suárez fits the mold as a power arm with club control and a postseason upside, and a Padres-Yankees trade would make almost too much sense here, especially after AJ Preller just targeted yet another pitcher from the Yankees' pipeline in JP Sears. Just like that, Bednar is about to become an afterthought in the Yankees' minds.

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