Breaking: Phillies Make a Shocking Signing of Pirates’ All-Star Reliever Amid Jordan Romano Implosion
The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 11-10, but the score shouldn’t have been remotely that close. Phillies reliever Jordan Romano imploded in the ninth inning, allowing six runs in two-thirds of an inning. This trade idea lands a Pittsburgh Pirates reliever and former All-Star to find a new right-handed reliever to replace Romano.
For this trade idea, the Phillies send a pitching and outfield prospect outside their top 30 for Pirates reliever David Bednar. Bednar has two years of control left, and is in his age 30 season in 2025.
Bednar was sent to the minor leagues after a poor start to the 2025 season. Across three appearances, Bednar has only gotten through one inning. He has allowed four hits, four runs, three earned runs, and two walks to just one strikeout.
His struggles to start the year, combined with his down year in 2023, have led to his value cratering. After a stint in the minors, Bednar was recalled to the Major League roster.
In the minors, Bednar threw five innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit and striking out seven. His ‘rehab’ stint in the minor leagues seemed to help Bednar turn the corner, and if he’s back to 2022 and 2023 form, the Phillies could use him in the bullpen.
Bednar was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023, and his seasons justified his nomination. In 2022, Bednar threw over 51 and two-thirds innings with a 2.61 ERA. His 2023 was even better, as he went 67 and one-third innings with a 2.00 ERA. He also led the National League in saves in 2023 with 39.
While he wouldn’t directly replace Romano, he would likely fill in for many of the innings Romano normally would’ve been lined up for. Romano came into the Marlins series with a 9.00 ERA, and he was coming off a solid streak of allowing no earned runs in three straight appearances.
However, against the Marlins in just two-thirds of an inning, he allowed six earned runs on six hits. Following his ninth-inning implosion, Romano now sits at a 15.26 ERA across seven and two-thirds innings pitched.
This trade idea replaces Romano by acquiring a multi-year reliever with All-Star potential at a low point. While a risk, with the way Romano and the bullpen are pitching, taking a chance on Bednar is worth a shot for the Phillies front office.
