MIAMI – Hours after learning separately that they had been acquired by the Yankees , David Bednar and Jake Bird found themselves just a couple of rows apart on the same commercial flight, rocketing across the country from Denver to join their new teammates.

They landed in Miami around 6 a.m. ET on Friday, finding any lingering jetlag flushed away by the excitement of a fresh opportunity.

“It’s huge,” Bednar said. “Playing competitive baseball and playing to win a World Series is huge. It’s just been awesome to meet all the guys. I’m really excited for this opportunity to be a part of it.”

And who could blame them? Their acquisitions were highlights in a flurry of moves ahead of Thursday’s Trade Deadline, a sequence that helped transform the Yankees’ bullpen from a legitimate conce

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