The Los Angeles Dodgers added onto what already has been a wildly successful offseason by signing Kirby Yates to a one-year, $13 million contract on Thursday.
Yates’ deal includes incentives that can increase the total value to $14 million, and he gives the Dodgers another high-leverage option for manager Dave Roberts to call on out of the bullpen.
The 2025 season is going to be Yates’ 12th in the Majors, but 11th pitching. He missed all of 2021 because of Tommy John surgery and was limited to just nine appearances for the Atlanta Braves upon returning in 2022.
The veteran right-hander fared well for the Braves in 2023 and put together an All-Star season with the Texas Rangers last year.
“I think the first thing was trying to prove not only to everybody else but myself, that I can stay healthy and I feel good enough to still do this at a high level,” Yates said of his success over the past two seasons.
“I think in ’23, I was healthy but I didn’t exactly feel great all the time. And in doing that, from my point of view after that season and I looked at it, I felt pretty good with the body of work I did with the time off and inconsistencies of going out there on the mound and just having to grind on a daily basis to get meaningful outs every night.
“Last year, I felt really good and I slid into a role I was very comfortable with. I still felt going into that year I could pitch at a high level still, and I proved that to myself.
“I still think I’ve got a few more good years. I know I’m 38 and have been doing this for a while, but I think if you look at the log of innings and everything, I don’t think it matches up to a normal 38-year-old. I still think I can do this for a few more years at a high level and I like where I’m at.”
To Yates’ point, he threw just 11.1 innings from 2020-2022 because of injuries. Yates then logged a modest 60.1 innings in 2023 and 61.2 last season.
That would’ve placed him fourth among Dodgers relief pitchers in 2024.
The 37-year-old recorded 33 saves while posting a 1.17 ERA, 2.50 FIP and 0.83 WHIP in 61 appearances for the Rangers last season. Yates pitched to a 35.9% strikeout rate while lowering his walk rate to 11.8%.
Kirby Yates eager for postseason opportunity
For all the years of experience, Yates has pitched in just one playoff game in his career. That came in the 2023 National League Division Series as a member of the Braves.
Getting back to October baseball — and being part of a deep run — factored into Yates’ decision during free agency.
“The older you get, that starts being important,” he said. “When you’re the second week of August, first week of September, and you’re falling out of that playoff race, it hits you a little different. You’re getting older and losing another chance to make a deep run in the postseason.
“This is my third time signing with the reigning World Series champs. I think the difference this time is how loaded this team is compared to everybody else. I’m looking forward to finally trying to make that run and be able to pitch deep into the postseason.”
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