Kirby Yates Bio
Kirby Kali Yates, born on March 25, 1987, in Lihue, Hawaii, is an American professional baseball pitcher known for his work out of the bullpen. Over the course of his Major League Baseball career, he has pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Dodgers. A two-time All-Star, Yates rose to national prominence in 2019 when he led the National League in saves and was named to the All-MLB First Team. He continues to compete at the highest level of professional baseball as a free agent.
Standing out for his command, late-inning poise, and ability to miss bats in key moments, Yates has built a reputation as one of the most reliable relief pitchers of his generation. His journey from a small Hawaiian high school to the biggest stages in baseball reflects years of perseverance through injuries and roster changes.
Kirby Yates
Early Life and Background
Kirby Kali Yates was born on March 25, 1987, in Lihue, on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Growing up in a sports-oriented household, he developed an early love for baseball, eventually attending Kauai High School in Lihue. His brother, Tyler Yates, also went on to play in Major League Baseball, giving Kirby a direct family connection to the professional game and an early role model to emulate.
Coming out of high school, Yates was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 26th round of the 2005 Major League Baseball draft. He chose not to sign with the organization and instead enrolled at Yavapai College in Arizona to continue his development. His path, however, was not without challenges. He missed both the 2006 and 2007 seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery, an early setback that tested his commitment to the sport.
Path to Major League Baseball
After going undrafted in the 2009 MLB draft, Yates signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as an amateur free agent on June 22, 2009. He began his professional career with the Princeton Rays of the Appalachian League and steadily climbed through the minor league system. In 2010, he spent most of the season with the Bowling Green Hot Rods of the Midwest League, posting a 3.30 ERA in 27 games, before a shoulder injury briefly stalled his progress.
By 2012, Yates had reached the Double-A level with the Montgomery Biscuits, where his 12.44 strikeouts per nine innings led all Southern League pitchers. In 2013, he was a Triple-A All-Star with the Durham Bulls, recording a 1.90 ERA in 51 games and earning recognition as the Rays organization’s Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year. That performance earned him a spot on the Rays’ 40-man roster in November 2013, setting the stage for his MLB debut the following summer.
Kirby Yates Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
Yates was called up to the majors for the first time on June 7, 2014, and made his debut that day against the Seattle Mariners, pitching 1+1⁄3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. In 37 games that season, he posted a 3.75 ERA in 36 innings. His 2015 campaign was less smooth, as he shuttled between the Rays and Triple-A Durham and finished with a 7.97 ERA at the major league level. Tampa Bay designated him for assignment after the 2015 season.
On November 25, 2015, Yates was traded to the Cleveland Indians for cash considerations, then dealt to the New York Yankees in January 2016. He made the Yankees’ Opening Day roster that year and appeared in 41 games, posting a 5.23 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 41+1⁄3 innings. After the season, the Los Angeles Angels claimed him off waivers, beginning the next chapter of his career.
San Diego Padres Breakthrough (2017–2020)
After a brief and unsuccessful stint with the Angels in April 2017, Yates was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres on April 26, 2017. The move proved transformative. He struck out 87 batters in 55+2⁄3 innings and went 4–5 with a 3.62 ERA in 61 games, crediting much of his late-inning success to a split-finger fastball he began throwing more frequently with the Padres.
In 2018, Yates started the season as the setup man for closer Brad Hand before taking over the closer’s role at the trade deadline. He finished the year with a career-low 2.14 ERA in 65 appearances, converting 12 of 13 save chances, and was selected to represent Major League Baseball at the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series. The 2019 season marked the peak of his career, as he was named the Padres’ lone All-Star representative, led all major league pitchers with 41 saves, and posted a 1.19 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 60+2⁄3 innings, earning All-MLB First Team honors.
His momentum was interrupted in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when bone chips in his elbow limited him to just six appearances before he was shut down.
Atlanta Braves Era (2022–2023)
Following a year lost to injury and recovery, Yates signed a two-year, $8.25 million contract with the Atlanta Braves on November 29, 2021. He made his return to competitive play in the Florida Complex League on July 16, 2022, and was activated off the injured list in August, allowing four runs in seven innings across nine late-season appearances.
In 2023, his first full season since 2019, Yates appeared in 60 games, pitching 60+1⁄3 innings with a 3.28 ERA. The Braves declined the option on his contract after the season, making him a free agent in November 2023.
Texas Rangers Era (2024)
On December 6, 2023, Yates signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Texas Rangers. He enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his career, appearing in 61 games and posting a 1.17 ERA with 85 strikeouts in 61+2⁄3 innings, converting 33 of 34 save opportunities. His dominant performance earned him a selection to his second career All-Star Game, cementing his reputation as a top-tier closer.
Los Angeles Dodgers Era (2025)
On January 30, 2025, Yates signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He pitched in 50 games for the team, going 4–3 with a 5.23 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 41+1⁄3 innings. The Dodgers grew cautious with his usage as the season progressed, ultimately placing him on the injured list on September 24 and ending his year early.
Los Angeles Angels Return (2026)
On January 6, 2026, Yates signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, returning to the franchise that had briefly claimed him off waivers nearly a decade earlier. His familiarity with the organization and continued effectiveness at the back end of bullpens made him an attractive option for the Angels’ relief corps.
Driving Style and Strengths
Yates has long relied on a power-pitching approach built around a high-spin fastball and a sharp split-finger fastball that became a defining pitch during his Padres years. He excels in high-leverage situations, attacking hitters with confidence and recording strikeouts at an elite rate. His experience as a closer and setup man has made him a trusted late-inning option wherever he has played.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his most memorable achievements are leading the National League with 41 saves in 2019, being named to the All-MLB First Team that same year, and earning All-Star selections in 2019 and 2024. He also represented Major League Baseball at the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series and helped anchor a Texas Rangers bullpen that posted one of the lowest relief ERAs in the American League in 2024.
Kirby Yates Career Wins
Yates has built a strong résumé of wins and performances across multiple organizations, with his most successful stretches coming in San Diego, Atlanta, and Texas. He has excelled both as a setup man and a closer, regularly producing strikeout rates well above league average.
San Diego Padres Highlights
With the Padres, Yates recorded 41 saves in 2019 to lead all of Major League Baseball, complementing that with a 1.19 ERA. He also earned 12 saves in 2018 after taking over the closer’s role late in the season, finishing that year with a career-best 2.14 ERA in 65 appearances.
Texas Rangers Highlights
In his lone season with the Texas Rangers in 2024, Yates converted 33 of 34 save opportunities, posted a 1.17 ERA, and struck out 85 batters in 61+2⁄3 innings, earning his second All-Star selection in the process.
Other Wins and Performances
Yates posted 16 saves in the minor leagues in 2013 to earn Rays organization recognition, and he has consistently delivered double-digit save totals at the major league level when healthy, including productive seasons with Tampa Bay, New York, and Atlanta.
Kirby Yates Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Yates comes from an athletic family with deep roots in baseball. His brother, Tyler Yates, also played in Major League Baseball, giving the two brothers a rare shared experience at the highest level of the sport. Tyler has since worked as a police officer in Kauai.
Personal Life
Yates married his longtime girlfriend, Ashlee, on January 2, 2016. Ashlee owns a business called Homerun Sitters LLC that places sitters with professional athlete families. In his time away from baseball, Yates enjoys surfing and golfing, hobbies that connect him back to the island lifestyle of his Hawaii upbringing.
2025 Season Performance
Kirby Yates’ 2025 campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers reflected both the volatility of late-career relief pitching and his continued ability to attract significant contracts. Signed in January 2025 to a one-year, $13 million deal, he opened the year in a setup role and was used in 50 games, finishing 4–3 with a 5.23 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 41+1⁄3 innings. As the season progressed, the Dodgers grew cautious with his usage, choosing to deploy him only in low-leverage situations or in games where the outcome was already decided.
By September, the organization had placed him on the injured list, effectively ending his 2025 season. While his results did not match his standout 2024 performance with the Texas Rangers, Yates continued to demonstrate the strikeout ability that has defined his career. His next move came on January 6, 2026, when he signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, signaling that teams still view him as a viable late-inning arm.
Looking ahead, Yates will look to recapture the form that made him one of baseball’s top closers in 2019 and a reliable force in 2024. A return to the Angels, where he previously struggled in 2017, provides an opportunity for a meaningful bounce-back year and a chance to add to his legacy as one of the most resilient relief pitchers of his era.
