Pitcher Kirby Yates Announces Retirement From Baseball

{ "articleTitle": "Pitcher Kirby Yates Announces Retirement From Baseball", "articleDescription": "Veteran right-hander Kirby Yates announced his retirement following the Pittsburgh Pirates' 4-3 walk-off loss to the Detroit Tigers in Detroit, concluding a career that included two All-Star selections and 101 saves.", "articleBody": "

Yates Retires After Final Game Appearance

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Kirby Yates announced his retirement from professional baseball following the team's 4-3 walk-off loss to the Detroit Tigers in Detroit. The game, which featured Justin Verlander’s final career start for the Tigers, saw manager Don Kelly select Yates to serve as the opener.

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This appearance marked the first start of Yates' major league career. Previously, he had made 517 appearances as a reliever. During his outing, Yates recorded five outs, including a strikeout of Dillon Dingler, before being lifted from the game for Yohan Ramírez.

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Speaking to reporters via SportsNet Pittsburgh, Yates explained his decision to step away from the sport. \"It was good, but this was it … I don’t have anything left. Let’s put it that way,\" Yates said. \"I’ve been running on fumes for a while. I think it’s just time.\""

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Career Trajectory and Statistical Record

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Yates began his professional journey when he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He reached the major leagues in 2014 at age 27, posting a 3.75 earned run average (ERA) across 36 innings during his debut season.

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His early career included stints with the Rays and New York Yankees, where he struggled to a combined 6.13 ERA over two years. Yates found significant success after joining the San Diego Padres in 2017. In that season, he struck out 38.5 percent of opponents while maintaining an 8.4 percent walk rate.

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His performance peaked during the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Padres. Over those two years, Yates threw 123 2/3 innings with a 1.67 ERA. He recorded 53 saves during that span and earned his first career All-Star Game selection.

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Injuries began to impact his availability in subsequent years. Bone chips in his throwing elbow limited him to six appearances in the 2020 season. He signed with the Toronto Blue Jays for 2021 but underwent his second Tommy John surgery during spring training of that year. The procedure caused him to miss all of 2021 and most of 2022 while he rehabilitated.

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Yates returned to the major leagues in August 2022 with the Atlanta Braves. He later served as the closer for the Texas Rangers in 2024, recording a 1.17 ERA and earning his second All-Star nomination at age 37.

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Recent Seasons and Career Totals

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Yates' recent years involved moves between several franchises. He struggled with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025 before performing adequately with the Los Angeles Angels. He was picked up by the Pirates at the trade deadline, where he pitched 15 innings with a 1.80 ERA