Dallas, TX – The Pittsburgh Pirates and left-hander Erik year contract. The deal is believed to be worth $4.5 million and is pending a physical, which in Bedard's case isn't exactly a slam dunk.
The oft-injured Bedard split last season between Seattle and Boston, making 24 starts and going 5-9 with a 3.62 ERA. It was the most starts he had made since opening 28 games for the Baltimore Orioles in 2007.
Bedard was far more effective with Seattle, as he allowed three earned runs or less in 13 of his 16 starts for the Mariners and two runs or less in eight of those games. He was a mere 1-2 in eight starts in Boston with a 4.03 ERA.
Once a promising prospect for the Orioles, Bedard's career has been ravaged by injuries, as he missed with all of the 2010 campaign with numerous ailments following two years in which his season was cut short by injury.
For his career, Bedard is 56-50 with a 3.70 ERA in 168 games (165 starts) for the O's, Mariners and Red Sox.
Bedard gives the Pirates the left-handed starter they have been lacking since they chose not to exercise Paul Maholm's option. He joins a rotation in Pittsburgh that already includes righties Kevin Correia, James McDonald, Charlie Morton and Jeff Karstens.
