To add on to the accolades he collected this past season, Pirates reliever/closer and Mars native David Bednar has committed to Team USA for the World Baseball Classic.
He joins an increasingly loaded lineup and was one of four pitchers to commit to the team yesterday, the others being the Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly, the Orioles’ Dillon Tate, and the Brewers’ Devin Williams.
Relievers play a big part in the Classic, as no pitcher can throw more than 60 pitches in the first round, 80 in the second and 95 in the championship round.
Team USA is the defending champion and will start Classic play March 11 in Phoenix in Pool C, which right now includes Canada, Colombia, Mexico and a yet-undetermined team.