What looked to be a ho-hum 3-1 Pirates victory over Detroit at PNC Park on Tuesday afternoon turned into an ugly 5-3 loss.

Veteran starter Martin Perez gave up one run in eight strong innings and wound up with a no-decision.

Closer and Pittsburgh area native, David Bednar, took the loss after coming on in the top of the ninth and blowing his third save in four opportunities early in the 2024 campaign. Bednar, who had 39 saves a year ago and appeared in his second-straight All-Star Game, didn’t finish the top of the ninth and was booed by the home crowd as he walked off the field.

This drew an immediate response from Pirates play-by-play man Joe Block, who was critical of the fans. Neil Walker, the color analyst for the game, was also.

Rowdy Tellez, a veteran first baseman acquired by the Pirates in the offseason, came to Bednar’s aid in the clubhouse after the game when reporters were asking the latter about his third blown save and the reaction of his hometown fans; Tellez said, among other things, that it was “unacceptable” and that Pittsburgh had to be better.

For his part, Bednar seemed to handle everything with grace and class. He probably realized more than anyone that fans would eventually express their frustrations with the hometown kid if he continued to struggle.

Yes, it was just one game out of 162. Yes, the Pirates were still 9-3 and in first place in the National League Central Division. But fans aren’t stupid (even if they often act a fool), and the booing of Bednar likely had little to do with him and everything to do with the fact that Aroldis Chapman, the veteran reliever Pittsburgh signed in the offseason, has been absolutely dominant out of the bullpen so far this season.

While Bednar has posted a 12.46 ERA over 4.1 innings, Chapman hasn’t given up a single run while pitching just as many frames. Chapman’s fastball, the one he often used to terrorize Pirates batters when he was the Reds closer back in the 2010s, is as dominant as ever.

Chapman, who has eight strikeouts, looks like he should be closing games, while Bednar should be pitching in low-leverage situations. Is that a bit premature and a little unfair to Bednar? Maybe. After all, he’s been one of baseball’s best closers over the past two seasons. Also, to quote Tellez: “He’s the pride of Pittsburgh.”

Again, though, the fans aren’t stupid. They know that Bednar spent a good bit of spring training dealing with a lat injury. Is that the reason he’s been struggling out of the gate? It’s hard to say, but I would bet good money on that being a huge factor.

If the closer is still trying to make it back from an injury, while the set-up man is out there dealing, why not make the set-up man your closer, at least for the time being?

It’s hard to imagine Pirates fans booing Bednar in a world where Chapman wasn’t on the roster, but we aren’t living in that world.

It’s just like goaltenders in the world of hockey. Tristan Jarry is the Penguins’ full-time starting goalie, or at least he was until Alex Nedeljkovic took his place and got hot. Nedeljkovic hasn’t lost in regulation in over a month and looks like the better goalie; he’s going to remain in the net for a Pens squad that seemed completely dead just a couple of weeks ago and is now on the cusp of a playoff spot. What do you think would happen if head coach Mike Sullivan started Jarry in the next game, and he struggled? If the contest was at PPG Paints Arena, the fans in attendance would boo mercilessly.

Why? Because, in their mind, a better goalie was sitting on the bench with the postseason on the line.

As a contrast to what’s going on with Bednar, remember when Steelers head coach Bill Cowher benched quarterback Kordell Stewart early in the 2002 campaign? Backup Tommy Maddox, a journeyman who was back in the NFL after stints in the Arena Football League and the XFL, quickly became the toast of Pittsburgh for his ability to make things happen with his arm.

Maddox was dubbed Tommy Gun as the leader of a passing attack the likes Steelers fans hadn’t seen in ages.

Maddox was the new full-time starter, and Stewart was persona non grata.

But Maddox suffered a scary (but, thankfully, benign) spinal injury in a game vs. the Titans and missed a couple of weeks of action. Stewart quietly won two games in Maddox’s place and kept the Steelers on track for a division title.

Maddox made his triumphant return against an expansion Texans squad at Heinz Field on December 8, 2002. Houston totaled 47 yards on the day but won going away, 24-6.

Why such a lopsided score despite Pittsburgh outgaining the Texans by nearly 400 yards? Maddox turned the ball over three times–two interceptions and a fumble–and all three were returned for touchdowns.

The crowd at Heinz Field was dead silent. There were no boos. The fans simply didn’t know how to react. As far as they were concerned, Stewart was the worst quarterback since New Coke, and there wasn’t a better alternative on the bench.

Finally, I’m not going to sit here and say whether or not I agree with Pirates fans booing David Bednar. But I am going to say that nobody should have been surprised.

In their minds, there was a better alternative to close out the game against the Tigers at PNC Park on Tuesday afternoon.