Kirby Yates didn’t arrive in Pittsburgh to think about retirement, but the conversation is starting to feel unavoidable.
The veteran right-hander is out of contract when the season ends, and with his 39th birthday already behind him, he’s weighing whether 2026 could be his final run. By Opening Day 2027, he’ll be 40, and he says the next step may be right around the corner.
“We’ll see," Yates said on his future to Pittsburgh Pirates On SI. "I’ll take some time, and I think, I think I know I’m close to the end.
I’m savoring every moment. Very appreciative of what I’ve done and where it is right now.”
Pittsburgh brought Yates in at the Aug. 3 trade deadline from the Los Angeles Angels, hoping his experience and steadiness would help a push for October. The Pirates didn’t get there - they faded in August, then were eliminated from postseason contention - but Yates still found the move energizing.
He went from an Angels club with the second-worst record in baseball to a Pirates team that stayed in the National League Wild Card race and barely escaped a losing season. That shift mattered to him, and so did his performance once he got on the mound. Yates posted a 2.03 ERA in 14 appearances, working 13.1 innings with 12 strikeouts and five walks.
He also came away impressed by what he found inside the organization.
“No, it’s been good," Yates said about his time with the Pirates. "When I first got, whatever, traded over, it kind of gave me, kind of like, a new life in baseball, kind of like, I guess, got me excited to play a little bit and it’s been good.
"The organization - I don’t want this to sound bad the way I say it, but it’s been better than what I expected, let’s put it that way. Everything, they’re doing things pretty well around here. They treat you good, the facilities are nice, they gave us a chance to win, let’s put it that way.”
Even without a playoff berth this year, the Pirates are talking like a club that expects to be in a better place next season. They point to a rotation that includes Braxton Aschraft, Bubba Chandler, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller and Paul Skenes, along with a bullpen headlined by shutdown closer Mason Montgomery, setup man Luke Weaver and middle relievers Carmen Mlodzinski and Yohan Ramírez.
There’s also the lineup, which the Pirates believe can be dangerous when healthy, with center fielder Oneil Cruz, left fielder Bryan Reynolds, shortstop Konnor Griffin, first baseman Ryan O'Hearn and others in the mix.
Yates has bought into that outlook, and he even enjoyed the clubhouse dynamic with Chandler, Jones and Skenes giving him grief for being the oldest player around.
“Yeah, I think they’re in a really good spot right now," Yates said. "The hard part of it is once this ends, you have to plan for next year. Try and find pieces to help and do all of that and there’s going to be a different set of expectations for this team.
"Not just based in-house, but probably the outside world too is probably going to view them a lot differently than they did this year; you’re going to have to deal with that. I think overall, in a really good spot and should be a very, very exciting year for them next year.”
In Other News...
Bryan Reynolds Just Gave The Pirates A Bigger 2027 Decision
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Reynolds also spent much of the year bouncing between hot stretches and quieter periods, which is why his role in 2027 suddenly feels more complicated than it did a few months ago. The Pirates have reason to wonder whether a little more rest and some designated hitter time could keep his bat closer to its best for longer, turning an already productive hitter into something more dependable over the full season. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Final Series Puts Two Young Arms Under A Real Spotlight
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Chandlers year has had its rough patches, but he has settled in better in the second half and now gets one more chance to show how far he has come. Jones, meanwhile, has been one of the brighter stories on the staff since returning from surgery, turning in a strong September and giving the Pirates a late reminder of what he can look like when he is right. With the season ending and the workload still tight, this series offers a clear look at two pitchers the club will be watching closely into the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Fans Know This Year's Biggest Problem Isn't In The Dugout
The Pirates latest stretch of frustration has made the bigger picture hard to ignore, especially with the club now sitting through an 11th straight missed postseason and still chasing its first playoff win in 14 years. Even so, there is at least a sliver of reason for hope in the standings next season, with a winning record still within reach even if a playoff run looks unlikely in 2026.
What makes the conversation around the franchise so pointed is that the dugout does not appear to be the main issue. Don Kelly is expected to stay on as manager, and Ben Cherington is also likely to remain in charge of the front office, despite the criticism aimed at the way the roster has been built. For Pirates fans, the question is less about who is standing where and more about whether the organization can finally solve the larger problem that has kept the team stuck. [Read more 🡒]