Signing Kirby Yates "A Priority" For This Contending Team + 2 Other Teams in Pursuit

Kirby Yates had a dominating comeback season in 2024 for the Texas Rangers, posting a ridiculous 1.17 ERA and 0.82 WHIP while striking out 12.4 batters per nine. Not bad for any closer, never mind a 37-year-old. 

But Yates is a free agent this winter. And currently, the depth charts of the Rangers show that their closer on the roster, as is, would be... Jacob Webb? Matt Festa? Hmm. Don't think that's gonna fly for a team with World Series aspirations. 

That said, it's emerged that "re-signing Yates remains a priority for the Rangers," per Ken Rosenthal. 

Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News echoes that, writing "they’d absolutely love a reunion with Kirby Yates, who converted 33 of 34 save chances in 2024."

Top priority for the Rangers is re-signing closer Kirby Yates and possibly landing set-up man Chris Martin

Per @Evan_P_Grant pic.twitter.com/0Apo6R99z0

— Rangers Nation ⚾️ (@rangers__nation) December 23, 2024

There will be other suitors, however, including the Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers. His $4.5M stipend from this past season would likely have to be doubled to reel him in after the year he just had. It seems to be just a budget issue for the Rangers at this point.

For teams losing out on Yates there are still a number of other solid back-end-of-the-pen high-leverage arms available.