Los Angeles Dodgers Finally Sign Free Agent Relief Pitcher Kirby Yates

A week after reports first surfaced that Kirby Yates would be joining the Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen, the veteran finally put pen to paper after passing his physical.
Sep 5, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Kirby Yates (39) smiles to catcher Jonah Heim (28) after the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field.
Sep 5, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Kirby Yates (39) smiles to catcher Jonah Heim (28) after the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a one-year contract with free agent relief pitcher Kirby Yates, according to multiple reports.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale was first to report the deal all the way back on Jan. 21. It took a full week, but Yates finally passed his physical on Tuesday, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Yates will carry a $13 million base salary in 2025. If he reaches 55 appearances, Yates will cash in on an additional $1 million.

Yates is just the latest premier free agent to join the Dodgers, who signed another All-Star closer in Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million contract on Jan. 19. They landed Japanese starting pitcher Roki Sasaki on Jan. 17 after already adding two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, infielder Hye-Seong Kim and outfielder Michael Conforto and re-signing outfielder Teoscar Hernández, reliever Blake Treinen and utility man Tommy Edman.

Yates, who turns 38 years old in March, is coming off the most effective season of his career. Across 61 games with the Texas Rangers, the right-hander went 7-2 with a 1.17 ERA, 0.827 WHIP, 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings, 33 saves and a 3.3 WAR.

On top of making his first All-Star appearance since 2019, Yates also placed eighth in AL Cy Young voting in 2024.

Yates got his start with the Tampa Bay Rays, then spent a little time with the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels, but he didn't truly break out until he turned 30 and joined the San Diego Padres. He was an All-Star and finished ninth in NL Cy Young voting in 2019, but got hurt in 2020 and missed all of 2021 due to Tommy John surgery.

After bouncing around between the Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves and Rangers, Yates has found his way to the defending World Series champions.

Much has been made about how much the Dodgers have spent over the past few offseasons, and how desperately top free agents seemingly want to play in Los Angeles. Injuries and randomness will always play a factor in how seasons turn out, but the Dodgers could very well be the heaviest title favorites in recent memory headling into 2025.

Yates, Scott and Treinen will serve as the core of a bullpen that also features Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips. Michael Kopech is expected to miss the first month of the season, per Nightengale, while Brusdar Graterol is unlikely to return from shoulder surgery until after the All-Star break.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.