Kirby Yates Fantasy Stats

Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever Kirby Yates (knee) continues to play catch and said he will throw a bullpen session "sooner than later," according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Yates landed on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2026 season due to left-knee inflammation, but the 39-year-old veteran might not miss a ton of time early on. With Ben Joyce (shoulder) and Robert Stephenson (elbow) also on the shelf, right-hander Jordan Romano picked up his first save of the year in Thursday's 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Opening Day. Veteran left-hander Drew Pomeranz could also be in the mix for save opportunities with Yates, Joyce, and Stephenson out. Yates will probably be the first of the trio of injured relievers to return to the Halos, and when he does, it's anyone's guess as to how first-year manager Kurt Suzuki will divvy up save situations. Given the current climate of the Angels' bullpen, Romano deserves a waiver-wire pickup if he's available and you're scrounging for saves already.

The Los Angeles Angels placed right-handed reliever Kirby Yates (knee) on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with left-knee inflammation, retroactive to March 22, according to the team. In addition to Yates, the Angels also placed right-handed reliever Ben Joyce (shoulder) on the 15-day IL and right-hander Robert Stephenson (elbow) on the 60-day IL, leaving the back end of their bullpen very thin for the start of the 2026 regular season on Thursday against the division-rival Houston Astros. The Angels are hoping that Yates will be able to return when eligible on April 6, but in the meantime, expect the Halos to mix and match in the ninth inning with Jordan Romano and Drew Pomeranz. It's probably a situation to avoid for fantasy managers, unless you're desperate for saves in deeper leagues. When Yates returns, he could be the team's preferred saves option until Joyce can make his 2026 season debut. Romano might be the slight favorite over Pomeranz, with 133 career saves, and the fact that he looked much sharper in spring training.

When asked who might be the Los Angeles Angels' primary closer this year, The Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher said, "probably" right-hander Kirby Yates. Drew Pomeranz and Jordan Romano are other options for saves in Anaheim to begin the 2026 season, but Yates feels like the favorite going into this week, with both Ben Joyce (shoulder) and Robert Stephenson (shoulder) sidelined by injuries. The 38-year-old veteran had a rough season with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, posting a 5.23 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 41 1/3 innings, but he had 33 saves as a second-time All-Star in 2024 as a member of the Texas Rangers. Yates also led the league with a career-high 41 saves back in 2019 with the San Diego Padres. Yates' fantasy appeal is rising for managers that need help with saves, but he will be on a short leash with the Angels in the closer's role, and he could quickly shift to a late-inning setup role once Joyce and Stephenson get healthy.

Los Angeles Angels reliever Kirby Yates should have an opportunity to earn saves in the Halos' wide-open bullpen this season. Yates inked a deal with the Angels during the offseason after a successful season in the Dodgers' bullpen. Through 50 appearances (41.1 innings) in 2025, he posted 11.32 K/9, 3.70 BB/9, and 1.96 HR/9. That staggering home run rate likely explains his 5.23 ERA, but it should be noted that his 3.90 xFIP indicates that he's due for a significant bounce-back campaign. Yates ultimately racked up three saves in a non-closer role with the Dodgers, but he has a much clearer path to save opportunities with the Angels. Los Angeles' closer competition currently consists of Jordan Romano, Robert Stephenson, Drew Pomeranz, and Yates, with all four arms seemingly still in the mix at this point in spring training. Yates isn't a lock for the closer role, but he could end up providing managers with low-cost saves at his current ADP of 367. The reward outweighs the risk here.

Veteran right-handed reliever Kirby Yates signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels for the 2026 season, and he could be a favorite for save chances to begin the year. Yates will have to earn it this spring, but there is a potential opening at the back end of the Halos' bullpen with both right-handers Ben Joyce (shoulder) and Robert Stephenson (elbow) recovering from injuries. The two-time All-Star has 98 saves in his 11-year big-league career. He was an All-Star as recently as 2024 with the Texas Rangers, when he had a 1.17 ERA and 33 saves in 61 2/3 innings pitched. Yates had a career-high 41 saves for the San Diego Padres in 2019 as well, so he has plenty of experience being the guy in the ninth inning. It makes him a sleeper target for saves speculators, but he's coming off a 5.23 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and only three saves with the Dodgers last year, and once Joyce and Stephenson are ready, manager Kurt Suzuki will potentially be looking at a four-reliever committee for saves.

Free-agent right-handed reliever Kirby Yates and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal on Tuesday, pending a physical, a source told Ari Alexander. Yates will stay in L.A. after spending the 2025 campaign with the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, where he went 4-3 with a 5.23 ERA (4.76 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, three saves, 52 strikeouts, and 17 walks in 41 1/3 innings out of the bullpen during the regular season. It was a disappointing year for the 38-year-old veteran after he recorded a 1.17 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 33 saves the year prior with the Texas Rangers. Yates is no spring chicken, but he could bounce back to better results in 2026 and will be in the mix for more saves next season in an Angels bullpen that lost Kenley Jansen in free agency. Yates' primary competition for saves next season will come from the oft-injured Robert Stephenson and veteran lefty Drew Pomeranz.

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that they have activated reliever Kirby Yates (back) from the 15-day injured list and placed left-hander Blake Snell (personal) on the paternity list. Yates is returning after missing nearly a month with pain in his lower back. He went 4-3 with a 4.31 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, 44:12 K:BB, 13 holds, and three saves in 31 1/3 innings before hitting the IL on July 29. The 38-year-old right-hander should step back into a setup role now that he's rejoining the Dodgers' bullpen. Snell, meanwhile, will not miss any starts while on paternity leave, as he'll only be away for up to three days. He threw seven innings of two-run ball in a 2-1 loss to the San Diego Padres on Friday. The two-time Cy Young winner has gone 3-2 with a 1.97 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, and 30:15 K:BB over 32 innings in his first season with the Dodgers. He's scheduled to make his next start on Aug. 29 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Kirby Yates (back) is expected to be activated from the injured list on Saturday. He has been out since the end of July with a lower back issue and is now on a rehab assignment. The 38-year-old is expected to make one more rehab appearance prior to his activation. With Tanner Scott (elbow) also on the way back, Yates may land in only a setup role when he returns. The veteran right-hander has three saves this year in 39 appearances, along with 13 holds, and a K/9 of 12.64 this year. He may vulture some saves down the stretch for the Dodgers and is mainly an option in leagues that reward saves and holds.

Los Angeles Dodgers relievers Tanner Scott (elbow) and Kirby Yates (back) each threw an inning during their rehab stints at Triple-A on Tuesday and could already be on the verge of returning to the majors. Asked if Scott or Yates would make another rehab appearance, manager Dave Roberts said, "probably not." That could set the pair up to return from the 15-day injured list during this weekend's series against the San Diego Padres, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. The Dodgers have gone without Scott, their closer, since July 22 because of elbow inflammation. Yates, one of the Dodgers' top setup men, has been on the IL with lower-back pain since July 29.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitchers Tanner Scott (elbow) and Kirby Yates (back) are both expected to begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Scott last pitched on July 21 before being placed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation, and Yates was also placed on the injured list with lower back pain after last pitching on July 26. The good news for both of them is that rehab assignments are typically much quicker for relievers, and both of them should see themselves back into high-leverage situations for the big league club before the end of the month. Scott is likely to be the one more in the mix for saves, as he has tallied 19 this year compared to Yates' three.