Page 208 - 2026 Los Angeles Angels Media Guide

K irby
Kirby
YATES 39

◆ Did not allow an earned run in 35 of 50 outings last season and posted a 2.95 ERA (18.1 IP – 6 ER) across first 21
appearances.
◆ Posted an 18.1% swinging strike rate, which was third-best among National League pitchers (min. 50 G), and his
29.2% strikeout rate ranked ninth...Against right-handed hitters, his strikeout rate rose to 32.7% (fourth in N.L.), and
he also held them to a .227 batting average against (22/97).
◆ Finished year on injured list with a right hamstring strain and did not appear in Postseason for Dodgers.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
◆ Two-time All-Star (2019 with Padres & 2024 with Rangers).
◆ Finished ninth in N.L. Cy Young Award voting in 2019 and was eighth in A.L. Cy Young voting in 2024.
◆ Led Majors in saves in 2019 with 41 for San Diego.
◆ 2019 All-MLB First Team selection in 2019 and was a 2024 All-MLB Second Team selection.
◆ Among Hawaiian-born pitchers, ranks first all-time in saves (98), is second in games (472), seventh in strikeouts
(623) and eighth in wins (30).
◆ Ranks sixth all-time in MLB history among pitchers with at least 400 career appearances with a 12.40 SO/9 rate.
◆ Made Major League debut with Rays on June 7, 2014 vs. Seattle.
MAJOR LEAGUE SUMMARY
YATES
2024
◆ With the Rangers, registered a 1.17 ERA (61.2 IP - 8 ER) in 61 relief outings with 33 saves and 85 strikeouts against
28 walks, while finishing with a 7-2 record for a second consecutive season...Rangers were 52-9 in his appearances.
◆ Selected to second All-Star game and first with the American League after going 3-1 with a 1.05 ERA (34.1 IP - 4 ER)
in 34 games and 46 strikeouts in the first half...Worked a scoreless 8th inning during the All-Star Game at Globe Life
Field, retiring CJ Abrams, Heliot Ramos and Will Smith, including strikeouts of Abrams and Ramos (both swinging).
◆ Named to All-MLB Second Team and finished eighth in Cy Young voting.
◆ Converted 33 of 34 save opportunities (97.1%), which established a Texas franchise record (previous was 96.0% by
Keone Kela in 2018).
◆ The 1.17 ERA was the second-lowest qualified relief ERA in MLB to only Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase (0.61), and the
second-lowest relief mark in club history (1.11 - Neal Cotts in 2013).
2023
◆ Compiled a 7-2 record with five saves, a 3.28 ERA (60.1 IP - 22 ER), and 80 strikeouts over 61 relief appearances with
the Braves...The seven wins were a career high (previous was five in 2018) and tied for fifth-most on Club.
◆ Ranked among National League relief leaders in opponent batting average (6th, .167), wins (career-high 7, T8th),
and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (11th, 11.93)…
◆ Registered the highest strikeouts per 9.0 inning figure by any pitcher in his age 36-or-older season (min. 60.0 IP)
since Houston’s Justin Verlander in 2019 (12.1 SO/9 at 36 years old).
◆ Issued a career-high 37 walks (previous was 19 in 2016 & 2017), and his 14.6% walk pct. was third-highest in N.L.
(min. 60.0 IP) to only Miami’s Edward Cabrera (15.2%) and Cincinnati’s Lucas Sims (15.1%).
◆ Limited opponents to a .167/.304/.314 slash line, including a .124/.286/.289 line vs. left-handers.
2022
◆ Began season on Braves injured list recovering from right elbow surgery from March 24, 2021.
◆ Made first rehab appearance with FCL Braves on July 16, before joining Double-A Mississippi for two games and
Triple-A Gwinnett for five games.
◆ Made season debut with Atlanta on Aug. 10 (first MLB action since Aug. 14, 2020 with San Diego).
◆ Unscored upon in six of nine outings for the Braves.
◆ Was on injured list from Sept. 13 through the end of season with right elbow inflammation.
2021
◆ With Blue Jays, did not pitch during regular season after undergoing right elbow surgery on March 24...Appeared in
two Spring Training games before suffering the injury.
2020
◆ Appeared in six games for Padres, going 0-1 with two saves and eight strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched.
◆ Was on 60-day injured list from Aug. 15 through the end of the season with right elbow inflammation.
2019
◆ Was a National League All-Star and First-Team All-MLB selection with Padres after recording career bests in saves
(MLB-high 41), ERA (1.19), WHIP (0.89) and strikeouts (101) over 60 relief appearances.
2026 Angels
20 26 A ngels
MEDIA GUIDE
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