Kirby

Yates

Yates threw 11 of his 16 pitches for strikes, but both of the hits off of him were hard hits. He was also sitting 90.2 mph on his four-seam fastball, which is 2.6 mph down from where he was last season. It’s still early in his rehab, but he may need a few more outings to get back to a place where we can consider using him in fantasy leagues.

Yates is trending towards a return as Jordan Romano has given up five earned runs in his last two outings. There’s no guarantee that Yates will see closer work, but he’s certainly got a cleaner recent track record than Romano despite 2025’s 5.23 ERA in 50 games out of the Dodgers pen. He may be worth stashing in deeper leagues for those looking for saves.

Yates could potentially be ready for a minor league rehab assignment later this week after hitting the shelf at the end of spring training with knee inflammation. The Angels have gone with Jordan Romano in the closer role to open the year, and he’s done a nice job so far. Yates would give them another proven high-leverage option in the late innings.

It’s nice to hear that Yates’ surprising trip to the injured list with knee inflammation appears to be a minor issue. After throwing a bullpen, it likely won’t be long before he’s back with the club. Jordan Romano secured the save for them on Opening Day with a scoreless ninth inning and it’s anyone’s guess as to who will be ahead in the pecking order for saves when both are in the bullpen together.

This came up completely out of nowhere. It looks like Jordan Romano or Drew Pomeranz will open the season as Los Angeles’ primary ninth-inning option with Yates on the shelf and Robert Stephenson (elbow) done for the year. No word yet regarding how much time Yates is expected to miss. This entire closing situation is a borderline stay-away for fantasy managers outside of extremely deep mixed leagues.

It’s a potential worst-case scenario and a crushing blow for Stephenson, who previously underwent Tommy John surgery back in 2024. The 33-year-old veteran reliever suffered a setback earlier this week after experiencing nerve issue and thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms during the offseason. He’ll visit with Dr. Meister to evaluate his options and determine whether he’ll be able to pitch at all this season. The most likely outcome is some kind of surgical procedure if he’s dealing with UCL damage. He’s no longer in the mix to close for the Angels with Kirby Yates, Jordan Romano and Drew Pomeranz the leading candidates.

The 33-year-old hurler will undergo further evaluation. Talent has never been in question for Stephenson, it’s his inability to stay on the field that has been frustrating. He had been in the running to open the season as the team’s closer, which could now open the door for Kirby Yates to assume the ninth inning role.

The one batter to reach against Yates did so on a lazy fly to right that Gustavo Campero lost in the sun for a single, and he only scored after Travis d’Arnaud committed an error on a steal attempt. So, that’s nothing Yates did wrong. He, Drew Pomeranz and Jordan Romano were all effective in their innings today. Those three, Robert Stephenson and Ben Joyce figure to be in the mix for saves in the Angels pen in the early going.

Kirby Yates, Robert Stephenson and Jordan Romano seem best positioned entering spring training. Ben Joyce, who is returning from shoulder surgery, also hasn’t been ruled out for Opening Day just yet. “We definitely have options,” Suzuki said. “We have guys that have done it before at a high level. And I think the benefit for us is we have options and we can be flexible. But in that ninth inning, I wouldn’t put a name out there to be our closer right now.”

The contract, which was agreed to a week ago, is reportedly worth $5 million. Despite a 5.23 ERA last season with the Dodgers, Yates becomes the favorite to close for the Angels, though Robert Stephenson or Jordan Romano could wind up pushing him at some point. Yates still had a 29% strikeout rate last season, and his velocity was down only about one mph from his peak. He could turn out to be a fair enough fantasy closer if he can stay healthy at 39. Of course, if he does perform well, he’d seem like a prime candidate to be moved in a deadline deal.