Kirby YatesLAA · PIT · RP

2026 review

Kirby Yates was a steady setup arm whose year was shaped as much by which uniform he wore as by the innings: across 46 games and 42.1 IP with LAA and PIT he posted a 3.19 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with a 27.5 K% and a 9.6 BB% over 178 BF, adding 3 SV, 1 HLD and 3 BS. Left knee inflammation put him on the 15-day IL from Mar 22, and after several rehab assignments he was activated May 5, missing 41 days in that stint; a right shoulder impingement sent him back down from Aug 31 to Sep 22, missing 22 more days, 63 regular-season days total across both stints. In between he moved from LAA to PIT, his last game for LAA on Aug 1 and his first for PIT on Aug 4. Drafted at NFBC ADP rank 348, he finished 402nd of 1472 in the TDK LABS 5x5 value rank, 54 spots below, and 111th of 575 relievers. The TDK LABS card tracked the shift in his role: in mid May it still had him in a murky closer mix, by early Aug it was noting him as a veteran setup arm, and by late Sep, back from the shoulder injury, it had him moved into middle relief after his earlier closer status.