Pirates' Bednar loses closer's role amid prolonged slump

Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar will be removed from his role in the short term, manager Derek Shelton said Friday, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com.

Shelton added that the Pirates will be using a closer by committee.

An All-Star from 2022-23, Bednar has converted 23 out of 29 save opportunities with a 6.23 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over 47 frames this season. The right-hander is having a brutal August, going 0-4 with a 10.97 ERA and 6.7 walks per nine innings.

The 29-year-old was one of baseball's best relievers between 2021-23, recording a 2.25 ERA with 11.3 K/9, 61 saves, and a combined 5.0 fWAR over 172 appearances.