I don’t have anything against Chris Stratton, but if the Pittsburgh Pirates were giving their closer role to their best reliever, then David Bednar should be the one getting saves.
That’s not the case.
I don’t have anything against that, either.
Last night the Pirates beat the Cubs 4-2, with Stratton getting the save. Bednar pitched in the eighth inning, striking out the side. This isn’t the first time that this has happened.
The Pirates seem to be abandoning traditional pitching roles more and more, whether that means strategically utilizing long relievers, or optimizing the usage of their best reliever.