Rangers Watch Former All-Star Reliever Join Rival AL West Team

IMAGE: Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kirby Yates (38) delivers in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images
Kirby Yates Heads to Angels, Rangers’ Bullpen Strategy Remains a Puzzle

Kirby Yates is on the move again-and this time, he’s staying in the AL West. The 38-year-old right-hander is reportedly signing a one-year, $5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels, adding a veteran presence and proven closer to a bullpen that’s clearly trying to retool itself into a late-inning force.

Yates is coming off a quietly strong season with the Texas Rangers, where he made his first All-Star appearance since 2019 and converted 33 of 34 save opportunities. That kind of efficiency in high-leverage situations doesn’t just happen by accident-it’s the product of experience, command, and a mentality built for pressure. He’ll now bring that same edge to Anaheim, joining a bullpen that already added Jordan Romano earlier this offseason.

There’s also a reunion angle here: Yates will be working once again with pitching coach Mike Maddux, a familiar face who knows how to get the most out of veteran arms. For the Angels, this is a calculated move. They’re not just collecting names-they’re building a bullpen with defined roles and playoff aspirations.

Meanwhile in Arlington: A Different Approach

While the Angels are making targeted bullpen upgrades, the Texas Rangers have taken a different route-and it’s raising eyebrows. Despite watching several former relievers sign affordable deals elsewhere, Texas has opted for a patchwork approach, leaning on low-cost reclamation projects and minor league contracts.

Yates, despite his age, could’ve been a stabilizing force in a Rangers bullpen that still feels like it’s searching for an identity. Yes, his numbers with the Dodgers last season weren’t pristine-he posted a 5.23 ERA across 50 appearances with 52 strikeouts, 17 walks, and a 1.33 WHIP in just over 41 innings. He wasn’t part of L.A.’s postseason run, which ended in a World Series title.

But when you stack that line next to the Rangers’ two biggest bullpen additions so far-Tyler Alexander and Alexis Díaz-Yates still compares favorably. Alexander logged a 4.98 ERA over 61 innings with similar strikeout and walk rates.

Díaz, meanwhile, bounced around three different teams and finished with an 8.15 ERA in just 18 games. In other words, it’s not like the Rangers have been scooping up elite arms while letting Yates walk.

Still No Clear Plan for the Rangers’ Bullpen

Texas entered the offseason with a clear to-do list: rebuild the bullpen. Again. And while they’ve made moves, the strategy behind those moves remains murky.

The most notable addition is the return of 38-year-old Chris Martin, who brings leadership and a track record of success-but also age and injury history. Beyond that, the Rangers added Alexander and Díaz on one-year deals, and filled out the depth chart with minor league signings and a Rule 5 Draft pickup.

Meanwhile, three former Rangers relievers have signed with the Cubs, and arguably their best bullpen arm from last season signed a modest $5 million deal with Cleveland-the same figure Yates just got from the Angels.

Unless something changes soon, Texas looks poised to enter 2026 with a bullpen built on hope and low-risk gambles. There’s talk of potentially re-signing Josh Sborz on a budget deal and maybe adding another arm or two, but the ceiling on this group, as currently constructed, is hard to define.

This is a franchise that just won a World Series and knows what a dominant bullpen can do in October. Right now, though, that kind of reliability feels like a distant memory.

The Rangers still have time to make moves, but with each passing day, the window to shore up the bullpen with proven talent gets a little smaller. And in a division that’s only getting tougher, that’s a risk they may not be able to afford.