Kirby Yates Landing Spots: 3 best fits for All-Star lefty after $13M Dodgers stint

Kirby Yates didn’t sign with the Dodgers in 2025 to be a long story. It was a short-term deal for both sides. After a monster 2024 season in Texas, where he dominated with a 1.17 ERA, saved 33 games, and struck out 85 hitters over 61 innings, Los Angeles paid him $13 million to see if that version could pitch on a fresh stage.

The 2025 stat line looked rougher: 50 relief appearances, 41.1 innings, 52 strikeouts, 3 saves, 5.23 ERA and 1.33 WHIP, plus injured list time because of a back problem and a hamstring strain late in the year.

It wasn’t pretty on paper, but anyone who watched him pitch could see the actual story wasn’t washed stuff, it was timing, rhythm and health.

He still missed bats at a decent rate, still leaned on that sharp splitter that makes hitters swing early or not swing at all, but the body never gave him a long enough stretch without interruption to fully look like the arm that closed games in 2019.

Yates enters free agency again in a market that loves one thing: short bullpen bets with rebound upside, and these three teams stand out as clean fits.

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1. Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona has bullpen issues once again. Their pen finished near the bottom in MLB in ERA, meaning late innings were their loudest weakness.

The Diamondbacks like adding power bats and using pitchers who miss bats without needing to overpower hitters.

Yates fits because of the park factor too: Chase Field plays fair for pitchers, and Arizona doesn’t need him to close every night, just close when the schedule and matchups demand it.

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2. Minnesota Twins

Minnesota’s bullpen has one elite name, Jhoan Duran, but not enough arms behind him that teams fully trust. The Twins have been open about needing reliable setup innings.

They don’t want another youngster tossed into high-leverage thirds too early. Yates would throw mostly 7th-8th inning pockets here, face tough right-handed bats, and protect Duran from burnout.

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3. Chicago Cubs

The Cubs expect to contend again, but their bullpen behavior over the last few years has shown they love adding veterans who can miss bats without blocking payroll for 2027 or 2028.

Chicago’s market also makes sense for Yates personally, a club that doesn’t ask him to carry the bullpen alone, a park that protects the homers a bit, and a fan base that loves smart, tough relievers.