Kirby Yates’ final act in the majors came with the kind of quiet authority that fit his career. On September 26 at Comerica Park, the 39-year-old right-hander took the mound for the Pirates opposite Justin Verlander, and both veterans got a farewell moment on the same afternoon. Fans packed the stands, the emotions were obvious, and Yates even drew a special ovation from the Tigers crowd despite being on the road and never having pitched for Detroit.
That outing doubled as the last appearance of a career that took the long road to stardom. Yates was undrafted out of a JUCO, didn’t reach the big leagues until age 27, and eventually turned that unlikely path into a resume that included a World Series ring with the Dodgers in 2025. His start against Verlander came in what was described as the first and final start of his long career, and the two pitchers came close to the MLB record for the highest combined age between two starting pitchers.
Yates first reached pro ball in 2010 and spent parts of four seasons in the minors before debuting with the Rays in 2014. He opened his MLB career with a 3.75 ERA over his first 36 innings, but the next two seasons were far rougher as he bounced between the Rays, Yankees, and Angels. The turning point came when the Padres claimed him off waivers.
San Diego is where Yates started to look like a real late-inning force. He finished the rest of 2017 with 87 strikeouts in 55.2 innings, then followed that with two seasons that put him among the sport’s most valuable relievers.
In 2018, only 18 relievers reached 1.8 fWAR or better, and Yates had the fourth-best ERA among that group. The next year was even better: a 1.19 ERA in 60 games, 101 strikeouts, 41 saves, an NL-reliever-leading 3.4 fWAR, his first All-Star nod, and a ninth-place finish in Cy Young voting.
Then came the injuries. Yates missed all but 4.1 innings of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, sat out all of 2021 after Tommy John surgery, and was limited to seven innings in 2022.
But he kept coming back. In 2023, he returned with the Braves and threw 60.1 innings of 3.28 ERA ball for a 104-win team.
The Rangers then brought him in on a one-year deal, and he answered with another huge season: a 1.17 ERA, 85 strikeouts in 61.5 innings, his second All-Star selection, and an eighth-place finish in the AL Cy Young race.
Yates ran into more injury trouble in 2025, but he still picked up another ring when the Dodgers won their second straight World Series. That set up his final season, which began with a one-year deal with the Angels. What looked like it might be a low-key retirement year turned into something bigger after he posted a 3.95 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 27.1 innings and emerged as a key bullpen arm.
Before the August 3 deadline, he was traded to the Pirates. Yates later told Ken Rosenthal, “I did not think there was a market for a 39-year-old throwing 90 mph.”
Pittsburgh saw it differently, and the move quickly became a fit. Pirates field reporter Hannah Mears said on the September 27 broadcast that the trade reenergized Yates and brought back his competitive edge.
Even after the Pirates slipped out of contention and Yates spent time on the injured list, he still finished strong. He posted a 1.80 ERA over 15 innings down the stretch, then closed out his career with 1.2 scoreless innings and his final strikeout on September 26.
His place in the game is secure. Since 2000, only 26 relievers have reached an ERA+ of 120 or better, at least 100 saves, and 670 strikeouts. Yates is one of them, a fitting marker for a pitcher who spent 12 years making the most of every chance he got.
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