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Yankees Recall Jake Bird As David Bednar Goes on Paternity List

Bednar’s short leave raises questions about who will handle the ninth inning for New York.

Jun 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees pitcher David Bednar (53) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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Overview

  • The Yankees announced they recalled right-hander Jake Bird from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and placed closer David Bednar on the paternity list.
  • Bednar has been New York’s primary high-leverage reliever this season with strong peripherals and 16 saves, and the team expects his absence to be brief.
  • Bird returns as a right-handed depth option with 24 major-league innings this year, a 4.88 ERA, 27 strikeouts and swing-and-miss stuff that is offset by home-run susceptibility.
  • The club has not named a definitive ninth-inning replacement and is likely to mix Fernando Cruz and Brent Headrick into late-inning matchups depending on situations.
  • MLB’s paternity list requires a roster transaction for short family leave, which in this case forces manager Aaron Boone to reshuffle bullpen roles and could affect how the Yankees manage tight games while Bednar is away.