Yates (1-0) picked up the win in Wednesday's victory over the Reds, walking one and striking out one in a scoreless eighth inning.
The veteran right-hander hasn't had a regular spot in a big-league bullpen since 2019 due to injuries, tossing only 11.1 big-league innings over the last three seasons, but Yates won a spot in the Atlanta bullpen in camp and recorded his first MLB win since 2018 on Wednesday. The 36-year-old has been far from sharp though, posting a 5.79 ERA and 4:6 K:BB through 4.2 innings to begin the season, and he's unlikely to see consistent high-leverage work without improving his control.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Getting Ks this spring
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Yates walked one and struck out one in a scoreless seventh inning during Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.
The veteran reliever has thrown only 11.1 big-league innings over the last three seasons due to various injuries, including Tommy John surgery two years ago, but he's been healthy in camp as he attempts to make a comeback. Yates has served up two homers in six innings, leading to a 9.00 spring ERA, but his 8:2 K:BB indicates he's still got the ability to miss bats. The 35-year-old is ticketed for middle-relief duty in a crowded Atlanta bullpen that already has A.J. Minter and Joe Jimenez locked into setup roles in front of closer Raisel Iglesias, but Yates could still have some fantasy value in deeper formats if he's able to recapture something close to his pre-injury form.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Completes live session
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Yates (elbow) threw his first live batting practice session of spring training Wednesday, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Yates made his return from March 2021 Tommy John surgery in August last season, but he stayed healthy for about a month before succumbing to inflammation in his surgically repaired elbow. Fortunately for Yates, the long offseason provided ample time for him to overcome the setback, and he reported to spring training without any restrictions. Yates is only four years removed from a season in which he was arguably the game's top reliever, but now that he's in his mid-thirties and has just 15 relief appearances at the big-league level under his belt since that banner 2019 campaign with the Padres, Atlanta is simply hoping that he can serve as a dependable setup option in front of closer Raisel Iglesias.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Throws bullpen Friday
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Yates (elbow) threw a bullpen session Friday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Yates has been sidelined since mid-September due to right elbow inflammation but has been optimistic he'll be able to return this season. It's not yet clear whether he'll be available for the playoffs, but he's trending in the right direction and would likely be able to have a relatively normal offseason, even if he isn't cleared to return to game action.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Doesn't think season is done
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Yates (elbow) believes he'll be able to return this season, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Yates didn't make his season debut until Aug. 10, and he only made it nine outings into his return from Tommy John surgery before hitting the injured list with renewed elbow troubles. An MRI didn't show anything worse than inflammation, so he remains optimistic that he'll be back before the end of the year. He didn't show much to get fantasy players excited during his brief time with the team, however, as he gave up four runs in seven innings while striking out six and walking five.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Lands on injured list
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Yates was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with right elbow inflammation, retroactive to Sept. 13.
Yates returned to action Aug. 10 after recovering from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in March of 2021. He picked up two holds while posting a 5.14 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in seven innings over nine appearances across the last month, but he'll now be forced to miss time with elbow inflammation. It's not yet clear whether he'll be back prior to the end of the regular season, but it's possible that the team exercises caution with the 35-year-old given how recently he returned from rehabbing a significant elbow issue.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Activated by Atlanta
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Yates (elbow) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
Yates underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2021 and spent the last year and a half recovering. However, he was cleared to begin a rehab assignment in mid-July and posted a 1.08 ERA and 0.72 WHIP in 8.1 innings over eight appearances in the minors over the last few weeks. The 35-year-old converted 41 of 44 save chances for the Padres in 2019, but he'll likely serve as a middle reliever or setup man for Atlanta since the team has Kenley Jansen and Raisel Iglesias available for late-inning work.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Shifting rehab to Triple-A
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Yates (elbow) will make his next rehab appearance Wednesday with Triple-A Gwinnett, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Yates' last two rehab outings took place at Double-A Mississippi, and he's yet to surrender a run while on his current stint. "Everything's going really, really good right now," stated manager Brian Snitker, per Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Braves have yet to reveal a concrete timetable for the reliever's return, though it seems likely he'll need just a few more appearances in the minors before being activated from the 60-day injured list.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Rehab moves to Double-A
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Atlanta transferred Yates' (elbow) rehab assignment from the rookie-level Florida Complex League to Double-A Mississippi on Thursday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
While he was in the FCL last weekend, Yates made his first appearance at any level since August 2020, as he missed last season and the first half of the 2022 campaign while recovering from March 2021 Tommy John surgery. Though his appearance came mostly against teenaged prospects, Yates was sharp in his FCL outing, striking out two over a scoreless inning. He's expected to make one-inning appearances Friday and Sunday for Mississippi before potentially moving his rehab assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett next week.
Yates (elbow) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment Saturday, Jeff Schultz of the Athletic reports.
Yates has been slowly working his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in March 2021 and appears set to return to Atlanta's bullpen in the coming weeks. It's unclear which affiliate he'll start his rehab assignment with, but he'll likely need to make multiple appearances before being added to the active roster. Yates remains on track to join Atlanta at some point in early August.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Remains at spring complex
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Yates (elbow) continues throwing at Atlanta's spring training complex, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
It has been nearly two months since Yates resumed throwing, but Atlanta is not in any hurry to rush him back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in March of 2021. The expectation remains that he will be ready to rejoin Atlanta at some point in August.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Completes bullpen session
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Yates (elbow) tossed a 25-pitch bullpen session Friday, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The session consisted of only fastballs, and Toscano notes that Yates isn't expected to incorporate breaking pitches in his throwing workouts for at least another week. In any case, Yates' ability to get back on the mound represents a step forward for the right-hander, who is attempting to return from March 2021 Tommy John surgery, the second such procedure of his career. Atlanta is still targeting early August for Yates' return from the 60-day injured list.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Likely out until August
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Atlanta expects to reinstate Yates (elbow) from the 60-day injured list at some point in August, barring any setbacks in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Yates had the elbow procedure March 24 of last year, so he would be 16 months removed from surgery by the time August arrives. The 35-year-old Yates may need some time to shake off some rust once Atlanta activates him and may not take on a high-leverage role right away, but he could prove to be a valuable late-season addition to the bullpen. Just three years earlier, he turned in one of the best reliever seasons in recent memory, converting 41 of his 44 save chances while submitting a 1.19 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 101:13 K:BB in 60.2 innings for the Padres.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Placed on 60-day IL
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Yates (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
Yates joined Atlanta in late November on a two-year deal, but he'll begin the 2022 campaign on the injured list as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in March 2021. The right-hander converted 53 of 57 save chances across his first two full seasons with the Padres and will attempt to return to full health late in the 2022 season.
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Braves' Kirby Yates: Lands in Atlanta
Rotowire
Yates (elbow) signed a two-year, $8.25 million contract with Atlanta on Monday which includes a team option for a third season at $5.75 million, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Yates was arguably the best reliever in the league over his last two full seasons, riding a 38.7 percent strikeout rate to 53 saves and a 1.67 ERA. Those seasons came in 2018 and 2019, however, as he missed almost the entirely of the last two years due to multiple injuries. He most recently underwent Tommy John surgery in late March, a procedure which will likely wipe out much of his 2022 season in addition to all of 2021. There's a chance Atlanta has landed a top-tier pitcher for the 2022 stretch run and beyond with this deal, but Yates will turn 35 in March, adding plenty of age-related risk to an already risky profile and giving him a very low floor to go along with his high ceiling.
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Blue Jays' Kirby Yates: Shifts to 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Blue Jays transferred Yates (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Sunday.
The transaction clears up a spot on the 40-man roster for lefty Tommy Milone, whose contract was selected in a corresponding move. Yates is slated to miss the entire 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery March 24.
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Blue Jays' Kirby Yates: Hits injured list
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Yates (elbow) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
The move is merely a formality, as Yates will miss over a year while recovering from Tommy John surgery. It's only a matter of time before he shifts to the 60-day injured list whenever the Blue Jays need to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
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Blue Jays' Kirby Yates: Undergoes successful surgery
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Yates underwent successful Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Gregor Chisholm of the Toronto Star reports.
Yates had already been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to an elbow injury, and the 34-year-old officially underwent his second Tommy John surgery of his career Wednesday. Yates will face a lengthy recovery timetable but could be back on the mound at some point in 2022. Jordan Romano and Rafael Dolis are the leading candidates to take over as Toronto's closer in 2021.
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Blue Jays' Kirby Yates: Set to miss time with arm injury
Rotowire
Yates said Monday that he expects to miss multiple weeks after he was diagnosed with a flexor pronator strain in his right arm, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
The injury is an unfortunate break for Yates, who was believed to be back to 100 percent at spring training after requiring a procedure last year to address bone chips in his elbow. The fact that he's now dealing with another arm injury is troubling, and the Blue Jays aren't expected to provide a concrete timeline for his return until the team evaluates him further. Jordan Romano and Rafael Dolis become the most likely candidates to pick up saves for Toronto to begin the season, after Yates had looked to be locked in as the team's closer upon signing a one-year, $5.5 million deal over the winter.
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Blue Jays' Kirby Yates: All but confirmed as closer
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Yates will make his second appearance of the spring Saturday against the Phillies, and Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker described the ninth inning as "his job to lose," Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
The team has held off naming one of its big offseason acquisitions as the closer, but with Yates looking healthy in his first spring action, an official announcement should come before camp breaks. The right-hander, who turns 34 next week, is looking to bounce back from a 2020 season cut short by bone spurs in his elbow, but Yates at his best is among the best relievers in baseball, as he racked up 53 saves with a 1.67 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 191:30 K:BB over 123.2 innings for the Padres in 2018-19.
