Pirates closer David Bednar had a tough time Tuesday in a 5-3 loss to the Tigers, missing another save opportunity (his third in four chances).
However, one of his teammates was there to publicly support him.
A tough start to the 2024 season for Bednar has made Pittsburgh fans a little uncomfortable with their hometown star, who was booed on Tuesday after giving up four runs in the top of the ninth inning.
However, Pirates first baseman Rowdy Telles spoke out about the All-Star closer’s treatment inside the Pirates’ home stadium.
After Tuesday’s game, Telles walked up to the media scrum surrounding Bednar and backed up the closer.
“This is Pittsburgh pride for you guys. We don’t do that here,” Tellez said of the boos.
“We’re a good team. There’s a reason we’re winning,” Telles continued. “We’re going to get our players back on track. But I think what happened today was unacceptable. We’ve got to be better as a group in Pittsburgh. For him to be an All-Star. There’s a reason we need to get better. That being said, he’s a two-time All-Star.”
Bednar clearly appreciated the gesture after Telles walked away from the camera.
“It means a lot to see them have my back,” Bednar said.
The Pirates closer grew up in the Pittsburgh suburb of Mars (a 30-minute drive from PNC Park) and was primarily a local fan favorite after being acquired with the Padres in a January 2021 trade.
He had 62 saves and a 2.30 ERA in his four years in a Pirates uniform, and represented the Pirates in the 2022 and 2023 All-Star Games.
But Bednar had a rocky start to the season, missing saves against the Marlins on March 31st and the Orioles on Saturday.
The problems continued Tuesday, when the right-hander was unable to retire just one of the six batters he faced, leading to a 3-1 Pirates lead.
Despite that, the Pirates are off to their best start in years with a 9-3 record.
