Kirby Yates arrived in Pittsburgh with plenty of name value and not much noise, but the veteran right-hander quickly gave the Pirates exactly what they needed out of the bullpen.
The 39-year-old, a two-time All-Star and former league saves leader, put together a 2.19 ERA in 13 appearances after the trade deadline. There were warning signs underneath that tidy number - his strikeout rate and groundball rate both dropped sharply after the move - but the Pirates were happy to take the production as long as it lasted.
Then the injury bug struck again. Yates landed on the injured list earlier this month with a shoulder issue, his fifth trip to the IL in the last two years. The current expectation is that he’ll be back before the end of the season, though that may also mark the final stretch of a 12-year career.
That possibility feels even more real now because Yates has started speaking openly about retirement.
“Last year, [retirement] became a real conversation," Yates told Aiden Stepansky of MLB.com. "I guess you face the facts that nobody plays this game forever.”
For a while, Yates looked like a stabilizer for a Pirates relief corps that had spent much of the first half coughing up leads. Since the All-Star break, that group has flipped the script and become one of the best bullpens in baseball, ranking 10th in ERA at 3.51, fourth in innings pitched at 225.1, second in strikeouts with 242, and first in fWAR at 4.4.
Yates hasn’t been part of that September surge because of the shoulder injury, and the timing is especially difficult for a reliever with more than 500 games of wear on his arm. Even so, both Yates and the team have said the goal is to activate him before the regular season ends. With the Pirates slipping in the NL Wild Card race, that could mean only a handful of appearances.
What’s pushing Yates toward a decision, though, isn’t just his body. It’s family.
“They [my kids] want Dad home as much as they possibly can.” Yates said.
“So, as a father, when you hear that it kind of gets you pretty good in the heart. And there's decisions to make here in the near future.
I'm pretty positive in what I'm gonna do.”
In Other News...
Clint Hurdle Just Reentered A Pirates Debate Don Kelly Can't Ignore
Don Kelly is still settling into his first full season running the Pirates, and the scrutiny around his in-game decisions has not let up. So when a fan floated the idea of former manager Clint Hurdle returning to Pittsburgh as Kellys bench coach, it was the sort of offhand suggestion that can take on a little more weight than usual around a team looking for steadier footing.
Hurdle did not shut the door on the idea, saying he is open to conversations, which is enough to keep the discussion alive for now. He has already had one run managing the Pirates, and he most recently worked as a bench coach for the Colorado Rockies, so the familiar name brings both history and a possible layer of experience to a staff that has already been under the microscope. [Read more 🡒]
Three Pirates Hitters Are Putting This Final Stretch On Edge
September has brought a better rhythm to the Pirates, who have gone 8-4 and at least given the final weeks a little more life than the standings suggest. Even so, the offense still has some uneven spots, especially among a few key hitters who were supposed to help carry the late push. First baseman Horwitz, rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin and Ryan O'Hearn have all dealt with the lingering effects of injuries, and the production since their returns has not matched what the club had earlier in the year.
Horwitz and O'Hearn have both seen their batting numbers slip compared with their earlier-season work, while Griffin is trying to find his timing again after missing about two months. With 12 games left, Pittsburgh is still seven games back in the National League Wild Card race, which means every at-bat now carries a little more weight. The Pirates have shown enough in September to keep the stretch interesting, but getting those three bats back on track would go a long way toward making the finish worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Lowe Is Giving Pirates Fans Another Reason To Embrace Him
Brandon Lowe has already given Pirates fans plenty to like in his first season in Pittsburgh, and now he has added a different kind of recognition to go with his production at the plate. Lowe was named the clubs nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, the annual honor that spotlights MLB players for character and community work, a fitting nod for a player who has quickly become one of the lineups most visible contributors.
Beyond his offense, Lowe has made mental health awareness a personal cause through his Home Runs for Hope initiative, pledging donations for every homer he hits. He and his wife Madison have also supported other charitable efforts, including the Baby Quest Foundation, giving Pirates followers another reason to connect with him as more than just a new bat in the middle of the order. [Read more 🡒]